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CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATIONS 

OR 

A  Brief  Exposition  of  the  History  and 
Teachings  of  Christian  Denominations 
Found    in    English-Speaking    Countries. 


BY 
FATHER  VIGIL1US  H.  KRULL,  C.  PP.  S. 


FIFTH  EDITION. 


ST.  JOSEPH'S  PRINTING  OFFICE,  COLLEGEVILLE,  IND. 
1913. 


NIHIL  OB  ST  AT. 

Augustinas  Seifert,  C.  PP.  S., 
Censor  Deputatus. 


IMPRIMATUR. 

^  Hermannus  Josephus, 

Episcopns  Wayne  Castrensis. 
Wayne  Castris,  die  22.  Julii  1911 


LOAN 


tfACK 


Copyright,  1911, 
By  V.  H.  Krull,  C.  PP.  S. 


INTRODUCTION. 


3RI57 


In  offering  this  book  to  the  public,  I  pro- 
pose to  furnish  my  readers  with  a  brief,  but  reli- 
able exposition  of  the  history  and  teachings  of 
the  different  Christian  denominations  found  in 
this  country:  the  name  of  the  various  founders 
together  with  a  short  sketch  of  their  work  and 
views;  the  time  of  the  origin  and  the  main  teach- 
ings and  practices  of  the  many  Christian  denom- 
inations. The  extensive  extracts  from  the  works 
of  the  Fathers  and  other  ecclesiastical  writers  of 
the  early  Church  will  undoubtedly  be  of  interest 
to   the   earnest   Christian. 

With  the  help  of  God's  grace  and  the  aid  of 
Holy  Scripture  and  sound  reason,  turning  the 
flash-light  of  true  history  upon  every  organization 
mentioned  in  this  book,  we  can  easily  detect  and 
distinguish  the  true  Church,  which  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God,  founded,  from  any  and  every  pure- 
ly human  institution.     "Seek  and  you   shall  find." 

If  this  book  brings  my  readers  nearer  to 
Jesus,  "who  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  His  blood,''  I  consider  my  work  amply 
repaid. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


855 


CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATIONS. 


THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

Jesus  Christ  the  Originator  of  Christianity  and  the 
Founder  of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Hundreds  of  years  before  He  was  born  at 
Bethlehem  of  the  ever  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  and  the 
angels  of  heaven  and  a  wonderful  star  announced 
His  advent,  the  divinely  inspired  prophets  of 
old  minutely  fortold  the  signs  of  the  time,  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  birth,  and  the  whole  life-story  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

The  elements  of  nature  obeyed  His  voice: 
He  calmed  the  storm  on  the  sea,  dranged  the  wa- 
ter into  wine,  twice  miraculously  multiplied  the 
loaves  of  bread,  and  healed  all  kinds  of  disease. 
The  bouncing  waves  of  the  raging  sea  served  Him 
as  a  solid  pathway  as  He  walked  over  them  and 
hastened  to  His  frightened  disciples.  "It  is  I ;  be 
not  afraid."    St.  John  6;  20. 

He  spoke  with  divine  authority  as  He  pointed 
out  the  way  of  salvation.  Even  His  enemies  de- 
clared :  "Never  did  man  speak  like  this  man."  St. 
John  7;  46.  "The  people  were  in  admiration  at 
his  doctrine.  For  he  was  teaching  them  as  one 
having  power,  and  not  as  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees."   St.  Matth.  7;  28,  29. 

7 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


Jesus  drove  out  evil  spirits.  "And  devils  went 
out  from  many,  crying  out  and  saying:  Thou  ant 
the  Son  of  God.  And  rebuking  them  he  suffered 
them  not  to  speak;  for  they  knew  that  he  was 
Christ."    St.  Luke  4;  41. 

"And  having  called  his  twelve  disciples  togeth- 
er, he  gave  them  power  over  unclean  spirits  to 
cast  them  out  and  to  'heal  all  manner  of  diseases, 
and  all  manner  of  infirmities.  And  the  names  of 
the  twelve  apostles  are  these :  The  first,  Simon 
who  is  called  Peter,  and  Andrew  his  brother, 
James  the  son  of  Zebedee,  and  John  his  brother, 
Philip  and  Bartholomew,  Thomas  and  Matthew 
the  publican,  and  James  the  son  of  Alpheus,  and 
Thaddeus,  Simon  the  Cananean,  and  Judas  Is- 
cariot,  who  also  betrayed  him."     St.  Matth.  10;  1-4. 

These  twelve  Apostles  Jesus  sent  out  to 
preach  His  gospel,  to  help  in  saving  souls.  He  ap- 
pointed St.  Peter  as  the  visible  head  of  the  whole 
Church.  When  St.  Peter  made  a  public  profession 
of  his  faith  and  said  to  Jesus:  "Thou  art  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God,''  Jesus  said  to  him: 
"Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar-Jona:  because  flesh 
and  blood  hatfto  not  revealed  it  to  thee,  but  my 
Father  who  is  in  heaven.  And  I  say  to  thee: 
That  thou  art  Peter;  and  upon  this  rock  I  will 
build  my  dhurch,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it.  And  I  will  give  to  thee  the 
keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  And  whatsoever 
thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth,  it  shall  be  bound  also 

8 


JE'SUS    ORIGINATOR    OP    CHRISTIANITY 

in  heaven :  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose 
on  earth,  it  shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven."  St. 
Matth.   16;   16-19. 

At  the  sea  of  Tiberias  in  the  presence  of 
Thomas,  Nathanael,  Jo'hn  and  James,  Jesus  said 
to  Simon  Peter:  "Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou 
me  more  than  these?  He  saith  to  him:  Yea, 
Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  He  saith 
to  him:  Feed  my  lambs.  He  saith  to  him  again: 
Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me?  He  saith 
to  him :  Yea,  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee, 
lie  saith  to  him:  Feed  my  lambs.  He  said  to 
him  the  third  time:  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest 
thou  me?  Peter  was  grieved,  because  he  had  said 
to  him  the  third  time:  Lovest  thou  me?  And  he 
said  to  him:  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things:  thou 
knowest  fhat  I  love  thee.  He  said  to  him :  Feed 
my  sheep."  St.  John  21 ;  15-17.  Lambs  and  sheep 
constitute  the  entire  flock.  Jesus  loved  to  call 
himself  the  Good  Shepherd.  St.  Peter  was  to  feed 
His  flock;  that  is  to  say,  St.  Peter  was  appointed 
by  Him  as  the  supreme  visible  head  of  the  Church. 

Jesus  founded  but  one  Church.  He  called  it 
the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  and  likened  it  to  a  vine- 
yard, to  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  to  a  garden,  to 
a  field,  to  a  sheepfold,  to  a  flock,  to  a  net,  to  a 
banquet,  to  a  house  built  on  a  mountain.  All  these 
figures,  as  well  as  His  direct  words  to  St.  Peter, 
indicate  that  His  Church  is  one.  He  founded  but 
one  Church   for   the  salvation  of  all  mankind.     As 

9 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


a  matter  of  fact,  every  reader  of  the  holy  Bible 
knowa  that  Christ  established  but  one  Church. 
Neither  have  I  ever  met  a  man,  be  it  on  missions 
to  non-Catholics  or  in  discussions  with  Protestant 
ministers,  who  ever  asserted  that  Christ  founded 
more  than  one  Church.  After  Jesus  Christ  'had 
labored  and  preached  and  manifested  His  divinity 
by  miracles,  He  was  sentenced  to  death  on  account 
of  His  assertion :  "I  am  the  Son  of  God."  St. 
Matth.  27;  43.  He  died  for  the  redemption  of  the 
world.  As  He  had  repeatedly  foretold,  He  by  His 
own  omnipotence  rose  on  the  third  day  from  the 
dead.  By  His  glorious  resurrection  He  gave  to 
the  world  a  convincing  proof  that  He  is  God.  For 
forty  days  after  His  resurrection  He  appeared  to 
His  disciples  and  spoke  to  them  of  the  kingdom 
of  God,  of  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  of  the 
primacy  of  St.  Peter,  and  of  many  other  important 
things. 

Shortly  before  His  ascension  into  'heaven  Je- 
sus said  to  them :  "All  power  is  given  to  me  in 
heaven  and  in  earth.  Going  therefore,  teach  ye 
all  nations ;  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
I  have  commanded  you :  and  behold  I  am  with 
you  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation  of  the 
world."     St.  Matth.  28;  18-20. 

Jesus  is  with  His  Church  all  days,  even  to  the 
consummation   of  the  world.      Hence   His    Church 

10 


JESUS    ORIGINATOR    OF    CHRISTIANITY 

must  last  to  the  end  of  the  world.  It  must  con- 
tinue throughout  all  centuries.  If  so,  then  His 
Church  is  still  in  existence.  And  so  it  is.  His- 
tory bears  witness  to  the  fact,  that  the  Church 
which  Jesus  founded  is  still  extant.  The  Churdh 
which  Jesus  founded  is  the  only  divine  Churdh, 
is  the  only  one  which  can  save  mankind.  His 
Church  is  God-niade,  all  other  churches  are  man- 
made.  They  are  human  in  origin  and  in  effect. 
All  who  earnestly  desire  to  be  saved  must  belong 
to  the  Church  which  Jesus  Christ  instituted  and 
of  which  He  plainly  said:  "The  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  it." 

It  will  not  do  to  say  that  the  Church  of  Which 
the  Apostles  were  the  first  bishops  and  teachers, 
was  the  true  Church ;  no,  that  Church  continues 
to  be  the  only  true  Church.  Jesus  remains  with 
it.  "Behold  I  am  with  you  all  days,  even  to  the 
consummation  of  the  world."  Neither  may  any 
person  belonging  to  a  rather  new  religion  imag- 
ine that  his  church  can  save  him,  because  it  bears 
some  resemblance  to  the  Church  which  Jesus 
founded  about  1900  years  ago.  No,  the  saving 
Church  is  not  only  like  it,  but  it  is  identical  with 
the  Church  of  w*hich  Jesus  Christ  is  the  founder. 
God  established  only  one  Church  for  the  salva- 
tion of  mankind.  In  that  Church  all  the  necessary 
means  of  salvation  are  deposited.  Whosoever  re- 
fuses to  be  a  loyal  member  of  the  true  Church 
and     thus     deliberately     deprives   himself    of    the 

11 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


means  of  salvation  will  be  lost.  "He  said  to  them : 
Go  ye  into  the  whole  world,  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is  bap- 
tized, shall  be  saved:  but  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  condemned. "    St.  Mark  16;  15,  16. 

A  purely  natural  organization,  started  by  man, 
can  never  produce  supernatural  results.  That  is 
the  true  Churdh  of  which  the  incarnate  Son  of 
God  is  the  founder,  which  bears  the  undeniable 
mark  of  historic  continuity.  It  is  the  same  Church 
with  the  same  unalterable  doctrines,  the  same  neces- 
sary and  helpful  means  of  grace,  the  same  divine 
sacraments,  the  same  holy  sacrifice  and  everything 
the  same  which  Jesus  Christ  ordained  as  neces- 
sary for  salvation.  The  visible  head  of  that  Church 
must  be  the  legitimate  successor  of  St.  Peter,  vest- 
ed with  the  same  authority  to  feed  the  whole  flock 
of  Christ.  Above  all,  tfhe  true  Church  must  date 
back  to  Christ.  Any  church.,  which  is  of  a  later 
date,  is  not  the  Churdh  which  Jesus  founded,  not 
the  one  which  is  to  continue  all  days  to  the  end 
of  time.  In  matters  of  religion  it  will  not  do  sim- 
ply to  follow  the  fashion,  as  so  many  people  seem 
to  t'hink.  There  is  only  one  saving  Church.  This 
is  the  Church  which  Jesus  Christ  founded  almost 
1900  years  ago.  "If  he  will  not  hear  t*he  church, 
let  him  be  to  thee  as  the  heathen  and  publican/' 
St.  Matth.  18;  17.  "There  are  some  that  trouble 
you,  and  would  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ.  But 
though    we,  or    an    angel  from    heaven,    preach  a 

12 


JESUS    ORIGINATOR    OF    CHRISTIANITY 

gospel  to  you  besides  that  which  we  have  preached 
to  you,  let  him  be  anathema.  As  we  said  before,  so 
now  I  say  again :  If  anyone  preach  to  you  a 
gospel,  besides  that  which  you  have  received,  let 
him  be  anathema.  For  do  I  now  persuade  men, 
or  God?  Or  do  I  seek  to  please  men?  If  I  yet 
pleased  men,  I  should  not  be  the  servant  of  Christ. 
For  I  give  you  to  understand,  brethren,  that  the 
gospel  which  was  preached  by  me  is  not  accord- 
ing to  man.  For  neither  did  I  receive  it  of  man, 
nor  did  I  learn  it ;  but  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
Christ."  Gal.  1 ;  7-12.  St.  Paul,  therefore,  strict- 
ly forbids  any  change  of  the  gospel  which  he 
preached.  No  man,  not  even  an  angel,  has  a  right 
to  alter  the  gospel  of  Christ.  That  gospel  was 
preached  by  all  the  Apostles  long  before  the  New 
Testament  was  written.  It  included  a  great  deal 
more  than  the  fragmentary  narratives  contained 
in  the  New  Testament.  At  the  end  of  his  gospel, 
St.  John  expressly  says :  "But  there  are  also  many 
other  things  which  Jesus  did ;  which,  if  they  were 
written  every  one,  the  world  itself,  I  think,  would 
not  be  able  to  contain  the  books  that  should  be 
written."  St.  John  21  ;25.  St.  Paul  admonishes 
the  Thessalonians :  "Therefore,  brethren,  stand 
fast;  and  hold  the  traditions  which  you  have  learned 
whether  by  word,  or  by  our  epistle."  2  Thess. 
2;  14.  "Hold  the  form  of  sound  words,  which 
thou  hast  'heard  of  me  in  faith,  and  in  the  love 
which    is  in    Christ  Jesus.     Keep  the  good    thing 

13 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


committed  to  thy  trust  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who 
dwelleth  in  us."    2  Timothy  1 ;  13,  14. 

Really,  I  do  not  understand  under  what  pre- 
tense of  logic  or  revelation  any  man  of  education 
can  assert  that  the  Bible  is  the  sole  rule  of  faith, 
and  that  reason,  private  opinion,  is  the  sole  in- 
terpreter. St.  Paul  emphasizes  the  necessity  to 
stand  fast  and  to  hold  the  traditions,  not  to  lis- 
ten to  another  gospel,  not  to  be  tossed  to  and  fro, 
and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine. 
"This  then  I.  say  and  testify  in  the  Lord :  that 
henceforward  you  walk  not  as  also  the  gentiles 
walk  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind."     Eph.  4;  17. 

The  true  Church  positively  teaches  with  di- 
vine authority  what  we  must  believe  and  do  in  or- 
der to  be  saved.  Our  private  opinion  must  be  in 
conformity  with  the  tenets  of  the  infallible  Church. 
It  would  be  the  height  of  arrogance  to  presume 
that  God's  teachings  and  God's  means  of  salvation 
should  depend  upon  their  being  accepted  or  re- 
jected by  a  poor  sinner.  God  teaches ;  we  must 
believe.  He  commands ;  we  must  obey.  He  points 
out  the  way  of  salvation ;  we  must  follow  His  di- 
rections. 

The  authority  to  teach  and  to  command  Jesus 
Christ  lodged  with  the  Apostles  and  their  rightful 
successors  in  office.  Our  duty  it  is  to  believe  and 
to  obey.  This  is  the  ordinance  or  rule  of  faith  es- 
tablished by  God.  No  person,  not  even  an  angel 
from     heaven,    has    the     right    to    interpret   Holy 

14 


JESUS    ORIGINATOR    OF    CHRISTIANITY 

Scripture  in  any  sense  different  from  the  teaching 
authority  of  the  Church. 

Any  denomination  maintaining  that  the  Bible 
is  the  sole  rule  of  faith  and  conceding  to  every  fal- 
lible person  the  right  to  interpret  the  written  rev- 
elations as  he  pleases,  is  essentially  different  from 
the  Church  which  Jesus  Christ  founded  and  of 
which  St.  Paul  was  one  of  the  Apostles. 

The  purpose  of  the  following  pages  is  to 
point  out  the  true  Church  and,  with  the  help  of 
God's  grace,  to  confirm  the  members  of  the  true 
Church  in  their  belief  and  practice  and  to  lead 
other  souls  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven;  in  other 
words,  to  bring  my  fellow-beings  nearer  to  Jesus. 
"Grace  be  unto  you  and  peace  from  him  that  is, 
and  that  was,  and  that  is  to  come,  and  from  the 
seven  spirits  which  are  before  his  throne.  And 
from  JESUS  CHRIST,  who  is  the  faithful  witness, 
the  first  begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the  prince  of 
the  kings  of  the  earth,  who  hath  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and 
hath  made  us  a  kingdom,  and  priests  to  God  and 
his  Father,  to  him  be  glory  and  empire  for  ever 
and  ever.    Amen."    Apoc.  1 ;  4-6. 


15 


Testimony   of   Well  Known   Writers  of   the  First 
Five  Centuries. 


From  the  numerous  writings  of  the  early  Fa- 
thers of  the  Church  and  other  ecclesiastical  writers 
who  lived  many  centuries  ago,  but  whose  writings 
are  still  extant,  we  can  easily  cull  unimpeachable 
testimony  of  the  fact  that  the  Catholic  Church 
with  its  Pope  at  Rome  is  the  same  Church  which 
Jesus  Christ  established  for  the  salvation  of  im- 
mortal souls,  and  that  every  true  Christian  must 
obey  this  Church.  For  brevity's  sake  I  cite  only 
a  few  of  the  many  able  writers  of  the  first  five  cen- 
turies of  the  Christian  era. 

St.  Clement,  whom  St.  Paul  (Phil.  4;  3)  calls 
his  fellow  laborer,  was  according  to  St.  Irenaeus 
the  third  successor  of  St.  Peter  (Peter,  Linus, 
Anacletus,  Clement).  Tertullian  informs  us  that 
St.  Clement  was  ordained  by  St.  Peter,  the  Apostle. 
History  tells  us  that  he  was  Bishop  of  Rome 
whilst  St.  John  was  still  Bishop  of  Ep'hesus.  The 
authenticity  of  St.  Clement's  first  letter  to  the 
Corinthians  cannot  be  called  in  question.  This 
letter,  or  Epistle,  as  it  is  generally  called,  was 
written  a  few  years  before  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred about  the  year  100  after  Christ.  Pope  St. 
Clement  writes : 

16 


WRITERS   OP   THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 

"The  Apostles  have  preached  to  us  the  Gos- 
pel, (which  they  had  received)  from  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ:  Jesus  Christ  from  God.  Christ, 
therefore,  was  sent  by  God,  and  the  Apostles  by 
Christ. .  .While  preaching  therefore  in  country 
places  and  cities,  they  appointed  their  first  fruits 
— having  proved  them  by  the  Spirit — bishops  and 
deacons  of  those  wiho  were  about  to  believe.''  No. 
42.  "So  also  our  Apostles  knew,  through  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  contention  would  arise 
on  account  of  the  episcopal  dignity.  For  this  rea- 
son, therefore,  having  a  perfect  knowledge,  they 
appointed  the  aforesaid  (bishops  and  deacons) 
and  then  gave  a  rule  for  future  succession,  so 
that  when  these  should  die,  other  approved  men 
migtht  take  over  their  ministry  and  office."  No. 
44.  "It  is  shameful,  my  beloved,  it  is  most 
shameful,  and  unworthy  of  a  Christian  conduct, 
that  it  should  be  heard  that  the  most  firm  and 
ancient  church  of  the  Corinthians,  on  account  of 
one  or  two  persons,  is  in  a  sedition  against  the 
priests."   No.  47. 

"Do  ye,  therefore,  who  laid  the  foundation 
of  this  sedition,  submit  to  the  priests,  and  accept 
a  punishment  unto  repentance,  bending  the  knees 
of  your  hearts!  Learn  to  be  subject,  laying  aside 
all  proud  and  arrogant  boasting  of  your  tongues; 
for  it  is  better  for  you  to  be  found  in  the  fold  of 
Christ,  than,  thinking  yourselves  above  others,  to 
be  cast  out  of  its  hope."     No.  57. 

17 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


St.  Ignatius  was  a  disciple  of  St.  John,  the 
Apostle  and  Evangelist,  and  became  the  third 
bishop  of  Antioch,  St.  Peter  being  the  first.  St. 
Ignatius  succeeded  Evodius  in  the  episcopal  see 
of  that  city,  and  governed  the  diocese  down  to 
the  reign  of  Emperor  Trajan.  On  his  way  to 
Rome  (where  he  suffered  martyrdom  in  the  am- 
phitheatre), he  wrote  seven  Epistles:  namely  one 
each  to  the  Ephesians,  Magnesians,  Trallians,  Ro- 
mans, Philadelphians,  to  the  people  of  Smyrna, 
and  to  their  bishop,  his  dear  friend  St.  Polycarp. 
These  letters  are  gems  of  Christian  literature.  In 
his  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  St.  Ignatius  writes: 
"It  becomes  you  to  concur  in  the  mind  of  your 
bishop,  as  you  really  do.  For  your  praiseworthy 
presbytery,  worthy  of  God,  is  so  aptly  adjusted 
to  the  bishop,  as  strings  to  a  harp... Let  no  man 
deceive  himself;  if  a  man  be  not  within  the  altar, 
he  stands  deprived  of  the  Bread  of  God... Whom- 
soever the  Master  of  the  'house  sendeth  to  govern 
His  household,  we  ought  to  so  receive,  as  we 
would  receive  Him  that  sent  him.  It  is  plain, 
then,  t'hat  we  must  receive  the  bishop  as  the 
Lord  Himself.  Obey  the  bishop  and  the  presby- 
tery with  an  undivided  mind,  breaking  one  Bread, 
which  is  the  medicine  of  immortality,  an  anti- 
dote that  we  may  not  die,  but  live  for  ever  in 
Jesus  Christ."    No.  4,  5,  6,  and  20. 

"Be  ye  careful  to  do  all  things  in  divine  con- 
cord.     This,    because   the    bishop   presides   in   the 

18 


WRITERS   OF    THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 

place  of  God,  and  the  priests  are  as  the  senate  of 
the  Apostles  and  the  deacons  have  confided  to 
them  the  ministry  of  Jesus  Christ."  No.  6.  "As 
therefore  our  Lord,  being  united  with  the  Father, 
did  nothing  without  Him,  neither  by  Himself,  nor 
by  His  Apostles,  so  neither  do  you  do  anything 
apart  from  the  bishop  and  the  presbyters. .  .There 
is  one  Jesus  Christ,  than  whom  nothing  is  better. 
Wherefore,  hasten  ye  all  together  as  unto  one 
temple  of  God;  as  unto  one  altar,  as  unto  one 
Jesus   Christ.''     Epistle  to   the  Magnesians,   No.  7. 

To  the  Trallians  St  Ignatius  wrote:  "Let 
all  reverence  the  deacons  as  Jesus  Christ,  and  also 
the  bishop ;  for  he  is  the  image  of  the  Father,  but 
the  priests  as  the  senate  of  God  and  the  college  of 
the  Apostles.  Without  these  one  cannot  speak  of 
the  Church."  Trail.  3.  1.  "Protect  yourselves, 
therefore,  against  such  as  these  men  (heretics) ; 
and  this  you  will  do.  if  you  are  not  puffed  up, 
nor  separated  from  the  God  Jesus  Christ,  and 
from  the  bishop,  and  from  the  regulations  of  the 
Apostles.  He  that  is  within  the  altar  is  clean; 
but  he  that  is  without,  is  not;  that  is,  he  that 
does  aught  without  the  bishop,  the  presbytery,  and 
the  deacons;  he  is  not  clean  in  conscience."  Epistle 
to  the  Trallians,  No.  7. 

"Love  unity;  avoid  divisions;  be  ye  followers 
of  Jesus  Christ,  even  as  He  is  of  the  Father." 
Ep.  to  the  Philadelphians,  No.  7.  "I  cried  out  with 
a   loud  voice,  with  the  voice  of  God ;  hold   fast  to 

19 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


the  bishop  to  the  presbytery,  and  to  the  deacons." 
Philadelphians,  7,  1. 

"May  you  all  follow  the  bishop  even  as  Jesus 
Christ  follows  the  Father. .  .Where  the  bishop  ap- 
pears, there  let  the  multitude  be  also;  even  as 
where  Christ  is,  there  is  the  Catholic  Church." 
Epistle  to  the  People  of  Smyrna,  No.  8. 

In  fact  almost  every  paragraph  of  the  Igna- 
tian  letters  emphasizes  this  unity  of  the  Catholic 
Church  under  its  divinely  instituted  tripartite  hier- 
archy  as  absolutely  necessary. 

St.  Ignatius  died  about  the  year  107. 

St.  Polycarp  was  instructed  by  the  Apostle 
St.  John.  His  own  disciple,  St.  Irenaeus,  says: 
"Polycarp  was  not  only  taught  by  the  Apostles, 
and  ihad  held  intercourse  with  those  who  had  seen 
Christ  but  was  also  appointed  by  the  Apostles  as 
bishop  over  the  church  of  Smyrna  in  Asia;  he  like- 
wise always  taught  this  which  he  had  learned 
from  the  Apostles,  and  which  he  also  handed  down 
to  the  Church  and  which  alone  is  true."  Against 
Heresies,  Bk.  3,  Chap.  3,  No.  4. 

About  the  middle  of  the  second  century  St. 
Polycarp  went  to  Rome  to  consult  with  Pope  An- 
icetus  in  order  to  bring  about  the  desired  uni- 
formity as  to  the  day  of  celebrating  Easter.  When 
Statius  Quadratus  the  Proconsul  tried  to  persuade 
him  to  renounce  Jesus  Christ,  St.  Polycarp  an- 
swered: "Eighty  years  I  have  served  Him,  and  He 
never  did  me  any  wrong;  how  then  can  I  blas- 
pheme my  King,  who   redeemed  me?"     Encyclical 

20 


WRITERS   OF   THE   FIRST   CENTURIES 

Letter  of  the  Church  of  Smyrna,  No.  9.  Pierced 
with  a  dagger  St.  Polycarp  died  for  his  faith,  Feb. 
23,  155.  To  the  Philippians,  No.  5,  'he  gave  this 
admonition :  "Wherefore  it  is  necessary  to  ab- 
stain from  all  these  things,  being  subject  to  the 
presbyters  and  deacons  as  unto  God  and  Christ." 

St.  Justin,  the  philosopher,  is  the  most  re- 
nowned apologetic  writer  of  the  second  century. 
He  died  a  martyr's  death  about  the  year  167.  In 
his  dialogue  with  the  Jew  Trypho,  No.  63,  St.  Jus- 
tin writes:  "Likewise  these  words  (Ps.  94;  7-13) 
plainly  prove  that  because  those  who  believe  in 
Him  are  one  soul  and  one  synagogue  and  one 
Church,  therefore  this  Church  is  addressed  by  the 
divine  writings  as  a  daughter,  being  established 
after  His  name  and  sharing  the  same;  for  we  are 
all  called  Christians." 

Commenting  on  Malachias,  chapter  1,  verse 
10,  St.  Justin  writes  in  the  same  work:  "Not 
even  now  is  your  race  from  the  rising  to  the  set- 
ting of  the  sun,  but  there  are  nations  in  which  not 
even  one  of  your  nation  has  ever  dwelt.  But 
there  is  no  race  of  men, — whether  of  barbarians 
or  of  Greeks,  or,  in  fine,  bearing  any  other  name 
because  they  live  in  wagons,  or  are  without  a  fixed 
home,  or  dwell  in  tents  leading  a  pastoral  life 
— among  wlhom  prayers  and  eucharists  are  not  of- 
fered to  the  Father  and  Creator  of  the  universe 
through  the  name  oT  the  crucified  Jesus."    No.  117. 

St.  Irenaeus,  a  disciple  of  St.  Polycarp,  was 
21 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


ordained  priest  by  Pothinus,  Bishop  and  Mar- 
tyr, whom  he  also  succeeded  as  bishop  of  Lyons. 
He  suffered  martyrdom  about  the  year  202. 

"For  the  Church,  though  spread  over  the 
whole  world  to  the  earth's  boundaries,  having 
received  from  the  Apostles  and  t'heir  disciples  the 
faith  in  one  God,  the  Father  Almighty. .  .and  in 
one  Christ  Jesus,  the  Son  of  God  made  flesh  for 
our  salvation,  and  in  the  Holy  Spirit. .  .having 
received  this  gospel  and  this  faith,  as  stated  be- 
fore the  Church,  though  spread  over  the  whole 
world,  preserves  it  with  the  greatest  diligence 
and  care  as  if  dwelling  in  one  house;  and  these 
truths  she  uniformly  holds,  as  having  one  soul, 
and  one  and  the  same  heart;  and  these  she  pro- 
claims and  teaches,  and  hands  down  uniformly, 
as  though  she  had  but  one  mouth.  For  although 
the  world's  languages  are  various,  still  the  force 
of  tradition  is  one  and  the  same.  And  neither 
do  the  churches  founded  in  Germany  believe  or 
deliver  a  different  faith,  not  those  in  Spain,  in 
Gaul,  in  the  East,  in  Egypt,  in  Africa,  or  in  the 
regions  in  the  middle  of  the  earth  (i.  e.  Palestine 
and  Jerusalem)  ;  but  as  God's  'handiwork,  the  sun, 
is  one  and  the  same  throughout  the  universe,  so 
the  preaching  of  the  truth  shines  everywhere  and 
enlightens  all  men  that  wish  to  come  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth.  Nor  does  he  who,  amongst  the 
bishops  of  the  churches,  is  more  powerful  in 
word,    deliver   a  different  doctrine  from  the  above 

22 


WRITERS   OF   THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 

(for  no  one  is  above  his  teacher)  ;  nor  does  he 
who  is  weak  in  speech  weaken  the  tradition.  For 
the  faith  'being  one  and  the  same,  it  is  neither  in- 
creased by  him  who  has  ability  to  say  much  con- 
cerning it,  nor  decreased  by  him  who  can  say  but 
little... The  whole  Church  has  one  and  the  same 
faith  throughout  the  whole  world,  as  we  stated 
above/'  Against  Heresies  Bk.  1,  Chap.  10,  No.  1, 
2,  3.  "Pointing  out  that  tradition  which  the  great- 
est and  most  ancient  and  universally  known 
Church, — founded  and  constituted  at  Rome  by  the 
two  most  glorious  Apostles,  Peter  and  Paul, — 
derives  from  the  Apostles,  and  that  faith  an- 
nounced to  all  men,  which,  through  the  succession 
of  her  bishops  has  come  down  to  us,  we  confound 
all  those  who,  in  any  way,  whether  through  pleas- 
ing themselves,  or  vain  glory,  or  blindness,  and 
perverse  opinion,  assemble  otherwise  than  as  be- 
hooves them.  With  this  Church,  because  of  its  high- 
er rank,  every  church  must  agree,  that  is,  the  faith- 
ful of  all  places  in  which  the  apostolic  tradition 
has  been  always  preserved  by  the  faithful  of  all 
places.  The  blessed  Apostles,  therefore,  having 
founded  and  built  up  that  Church,  committed  the 
office  of  the  episcopacy  to  Linus.  Of  this  Linus, 
Paul  makes  mention  in  his  Epistle  to  Timothy. 
But  he  was  succeeded  by  Anacletus,  and  after 
'him,  in  the  third  place  from  the  Apostles,  Clem- 
ent obtains  that  episcopate, — who  had  even  seen 
the    blessed    Apostles    themselves,    and    conferred 

23 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


with  them,  and  who  had  yet  before  his  eyes  the 
familiar  preaching,  and  the  tradition  of  the  Apos- 
tles ;  and  not  he  alone,  for  there  were  at  that  time 
many  alive  who  had  been  instructed  by  the  Apos- 
tles... But  this  Clement  was  succeeded  by  Evaris- 
tus,  and  Evaristus  by  Alexander.  Next  to  him, 
thus  the  sixth  from  the  Apostles,  Sixtus  was  ap- 
pointed; and  after  him  Telesphorus,  who  also  suf- 
fered a  glorious  martyrdom ;  next  Hyginus ;  then 
Pius;  after  whom  was  Anicetus.  And  since  Ani- 
cetus  was  succeeded  by  Soter,  Eleutherus  as  the 
twelfth  after  the  Apostles  now  holds  the  episco- 
pate. In  this  order,  and  by  this  succession,  the 
tradition  which  is  in  the  Churdh  from  the  Apostles, 
and  their  preaching  of  the  truth,  'have  come  down 
to  us."  Against  Heresies,  Bk.  3,  Chap.  3,  No.  2,  3. 
Origen,  one  of  the  most  prolific  writers  that 
ever  lived,  of  whom  Epiphanius  (Heresies,  64) 
asserts  that  he  wrote  six  thousand  books,  and 
concerning  whom  Eusebius  tells  us  that  he  kept 
busy  seven  amanuenses  (copyists)  by  his  dicta- 
tions, was  a  man  of  genuine  piety.  He  died  at 
Tyre  in  254  or  255  at  the  age  of  seventy  in  con- 
sequence of  many  tortures  he  underwent  while  in 
prison  for  his  faith.  Being  a  man  of  steel,  he  has 
received  the  soubriquet  Adamantius.  He  writes : 
"For  just  as  we,  after  we  have  come  to  believe 
that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  we  must 
learn  the  truth  from  Him,  have  ceased  to  seek  it 
amongst  all  those  that  claimed  it  with  false  opin- 

24 


WRITERS   OF   THE   FIRST   CENTURIES 

ions,  seeing  that  many  amongst  the  Greeks  and 
Barbarians  promised  it;  so  since  there  are  many 
who  fancy  that  they  think  the  things  that 
are  of  Christ,  and  yet  some  of  these  differ 
with  those  that  were  before  them,  let  the 
ecclesiastical  teaching  be  preserved,  which  has 
been  handed  down  from  the  Apostles  by  the  order 
of  succession,  and  which  remains  in  the  churches 
even  to  this  day.  That  alone  is  to  be  believed 
as  the  truth,  which  in  nothing  differs  from  the 
ecclesiastical  and  apostolic  tradition."  On  the 
Principles,  Introduction,  No.  2. 

Speaking  of  St.  Peter,  Origen  exclaims:  "Be- 
hold, wih at  is  said  by  the  Lord  to  that  great  foun- 
dation of  the  Church,  that  most  solid  rock,  upon 
whom  Christ  founded  His  Church."  Homily  5  on 
Exodus. 

Tertullian,  a  Priest  at  Carthage  (died  about 
240),  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  students  of  patro- 
logy  for  the  originality  and  individuality  of  his 
writings.  His  rigoristic  views  on  all  questions 
pertaining  to  morality  led  him  in  later  years  into 
the  sect  of  the  Montanists.  His  numerous  works 
contain  a  rich  store  of  information.  He  knew 
how  to  handle  the  most  difficult  questions  of  dog- 
matic and  moral  theology  in  a  concise  manner. 

"It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  introduce  anything 
of  our  own  choice,  or  even  to  choose  that  which 
any  one  may  have  introduced  of  his  own  choice. 
We  have  as  our  authorities  the    Apostles    of  the 

25 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


Lord,  who  did  not  even  themselves  choose  any- 
thing by  their  own  will  that  they  might  intro- 
duce it,  but  faithfully  delivered  over  to  the  na- 
tions the  doctrine  which  they  had  received  from 
Christ."  On  Prescription  Against  the  Heretics, 
Chap.  6.  "In  short,  if  it  is  certain  that  that  is 
truest  which  is  most  ancient,  that  most  ancient 
which  is  even  from  the  beginning,  that  from  the 
beginning  whio'h  is  from  the  Apostles ;  it  will  in 
like  manner  also  be  certain,  that  that  has  been 
handed  down  by  the  Apostles,  which  'has  been  held 
sacred  by  the  Apostolic  Churches.  Let  us  see  what 
milk  the  Corinthians  have  received  from  Paul; 
...what  the  Philippians,  the  Thessalonians,  the 
Ephesians  read;  also  what  the  Romans  close  at 
hand  trumpet  forth,  to  whom  both  Peter  and 
Paul  left  the  Gospel  sealed  even  with  their  blood. 
We  have  also  the  churches  taught  by  John.  For 
although  Marcion  rejects  his  Apocalypse,  never- 
theless the  succession  of  bishops,  counted  up  to 
their  origin,  will  stand  by  John  as  the  author." 
Against  Marcion,  Bk.  4,  Chap.  5. 

"But  if  any  heretics  dare  to  intrude  on  the 
apostolic  age,  that  thus  they  may  seem  to  have 
been  handed  down  from  the  Apostles,  we  are  able 
to  say:  Let  them,  then,  make  known  the  origin 
of  their  churches ;  let  them  unroll  the  series  of 
their  bishops,  so  coming  down  by  succession 
from  the  beginning,  that  their  first  bishop  had  for 
his  authority  and  for  his   predecessor  some  one  of 

26 


WRITERS   OP    THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 

the  Apostles,  or  of  the  apostolic  men,  so  he  were 
one  that  continued  steadfast  with  the  Apostles. 
For  in  this  manner  do  the  apostolic  churches  in- 
dicate their  origins ;  as  the  church  of  Smyrna  shows 
that  Polycarp  was  placed  there  by  John ;  as  that 
of  the  Romans  adduces  Clement,  ordained  by  Peter; 
similarly,  of  course,  the  other  churches  show  those, 
whom,  having  been  appointed  by  the  Apostles  to 
the  episcopate,  they  have,  as  transmitters  of  the 
apostolic  seed."  On  Prescription  against  the 
Heretics,    Ch.    32. 

St.  Cyprian,  who  in  248  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Carthage,  his  native  city,  wrote  several 
treatises  on  religious  topics  and  some  sixty-five  let- 
ters mostly  dealing  with  the  theological  questions 
of  his  day.  He  gained  the  crown  of  martyrdom  as 
one  of  the  most  glorious  Bishops  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  Sept.  14th,  258.  St.  Augustine  (On  Bap- 
tism, III,  3,  5)  calls  'him  "Catholic  bishop  and 
Catholic  martyr."  St.  Jerome,  when  passing  a 
criticism  on  the  writings  of  St.  Cyprian  (Letter 
58,  10)  says:  "They  run  like  the  sweet  and  pla- 
cid waters  of  a  pure  fountain." 

Of  the  heretic  \ovation,  St.  Cyprian  remarks 
in  his  52d  letter  to  Antonianus  (No.  24)  :  "That 
man,  notwithstanding  GocPs  tradition,  notwith- 
standing the  unity  of  the  Catholic  Churc'h  ev- 
erywhere compacted  and  conjoined,  strives  to 
make  a  human  church,  and  sends  his  new  apostles 
through  diverse  cities,  in  order  to  lay  certain  new 

27 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


foundations  of  his  own  institution ;  and  though 
there  have  long  since  been  ordained,  throughout 
all  the  provinces  and  in  each  city,  bishops,  men 
advanced  in  age,  sound  in  faith,  tried  in  difficul- 
ties, proscribed  during  the  persecution,  he  dares  to 
create  other  false  bishops  over  them,  as  if  he 
would  traverse  the  whole  world  in  the  obstinacy 
of  Shis  new  attempt,  or  tear  asunder  the  linked 
union  of  the  ecclesiastical  body  by  scattering  the 
seeds  of  his  discord;  forgetful  of  the  fact  that 
schismatics  always  burn  with  zeal  at  the  outset, 
but  that  that  which  they  have  begun  unlawfully 
cannot  have  increase  or  growth,  but  at  once  be- 
gins to  languish  together  with  evil  jealousy."... 
"Since  we  have  these  numerous  and  weighty  ex- 
amples together  with  many  others,  whereby  God 
has  condescended  to  confirm  the  sacerdotal  au- 
thority and  power,  what  kind  of  men,  thinkest 
thou,  are  they,  who  as  enemies  of  the  priesthood, 
and  rebels  against  the  Catholic  Church,  are  not 
intimidated  either  by  the  Lord's  forewarning 
threats,  or  by  the  vengeance  of  a  future  judgment? 
For  neither  have  heresies  sprung  up,  nor  schisms 
been  engendered  from  other  source;  but  because 
the  priest  of  God,  is  not  obeyed  nor  attention 
given  to  this,  that  there  is  but  one  priest  at  a 
time  in  the  church,  and  who  for  the  time  is  judge 
in  Christ's  stead ;  if  the  whole  brotherhood  would, 
according  to  divine  instructions  obey  him,  no 
one  would  agitate  in  opposition    to  the   college   of 

28 


WRITERS   OF   THE   FIRST   CENTURIES 

priests,  etc."  Letter  55  to  Cornelius,  No.  5.  "Or 
is  perhaps  the  dignity  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and 
the  faithful  and  uncorrupted  majesty  of  the  peo- 
ple within  her,  and  even  the  priestly  authority 
and  power,  to  be  set  aside  to  such  an 
extent  that  men  who  are  set  without  the 
Church  may  tell  us  they  wish  to  judge  a  prelate 
of  the  Church?  heretics  pass  judgment  on  a 
Christian?"  Ibid.  No.  18.  "He  can  no  longer  have 
God  for  his  father,  who  has  not  the  Church  for 
Jhis  mother.  If  any  one  was  able  to  save  him- 
self who  was  without  the  ark  of  Noah,  then  may 
he  be  saved  who  is  outside,  out  of  the  Church. 
The  Lord  warns  and  says,  He  that  is  not  with  me 
is  against  me,  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me, 
scattereth.  He  who  rends  asunder  the  peace  and 
concord  of  Christ's  Church,  rebels  against  Christ. 
He  who  gathers  elsewhere,  outside  the  Churdh, 
scatters  the  Church  of  Christ.  The  Lord  says,  I 
and  the  Father  are  one;  and  again,  of  the  Father, 
and  the  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  it  is  written,  And 
these  three  are  one.  And  does  any  one  believe 
that  this  unity,  proceeding  from  the  divine  stabil- 
ity and  coherent  in  heavenly  mysteries,  (i.  e.  the 
unity  of  the  Trinity  as  just  shown)  can  be  rent 
asunder  in  the  Church,  and  be  split  by  the  dissent 
of  conflicting  opinions?  He  who  holds  not  this 
unity,  holds  not  the  law  of  God,  holds  not  the 
faith  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  holds  not  life  and 
salvation."  On  the  Unity  of  the  Cath.  Church,  No. 

29 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


6.  "For  although  we  are  many  shepherds,  yet  do 
we  feed  but  one  flock;  and  we  must  gather  and 
cherish  all  the  sheep  which  Christ  has  purchased 
with  His  Blood  and  His  Passion."  Letter  67  (to 
Pope  St.  Stephen),  N.  4. 

Lactantius,  the  "Christian  Cicero,"  was  for 
some  time  during  his  later  years  the  tutor  of  the 
unfortunate  Crispus,  the  son  of  the  Emperor  Con- 
stantine;  this  classic  writer  died  probably  at 
Trier  about  330.  Like  Origen,  Tertullian  and 
Cyprian,  he  was  a  native  African.  He  tells  us: 
"The  Catholic  Church  therefore  is  the  only  one 
that  retains  the  true  worship.  This  is  the  source 
of  truth;  this  the  dwelling-place  of  faith;  this  the 
temple  of  God ;  whosoever  does  not  enter  this 
temple,  or  whosoever  departs  from  it,  stands  a 
stranger  to  the  hope  of  life  and  eternal  salvation." 
Divine  Institutions,   Bk.  4,  Ch.  30. 

Eusebius,  Bishop  of  Caesarea  (died  about 
340)  is  called  "The  Father  of  Church  History." 
He  wrote  an  extremely  valuable  work  in  ten  books 
on  the  history  of  the  Church  from  its  foundation 
by  Christ  down  to  the  year  323.  Speaking  of 
Simon  Magus,  he  writes :  "But  his  success  was 
not  lasting.  For  at  the  same  time,  while  Claudius 
was  still  reigning,  the  all-good  and  all-benevolent 
Divine  Providence  led  to  Rome  the  mightiest  and 
the  greatest  amongst  the  Apostles :  him,  who  be- 
cause of  his  virtues  was  the  spokesman  for  all  the 
others,    Peter  namely    (to    contend)     against  that 

30 


WRITERS   OF   THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 

mighty  destroyer  of  Life.  Armed  with  divine 
weapons,  he  (St.  Peter)  as  God's  valiant  general, 
brought  the  precious  merchandise  of  intellectual 
light  from  the  East  to  the  dwellers  in  the  West." 
Ecclesiastical  History,  Bk.  2;  Ch.  14. 

"After  the  martyrdom  of  Paul  and  Peter,  Linus 
was  chosen  in  the  first  place  as  Bishop  of  the 
Roman  Church."  Eccl.  History,  Bk.  3;  Ch.  2.  "He 
established  over  the  whole  earth  His  city,  I  mean 
His  Catholic  Church,  and  the  assembly  of  pious 
men;  of  which  city  it  is  elsewhere  said:  Glorious 
things  are  said  of  thee,  O  city  of  God.  And,  The 
stream  of  the  river  maketh  the  city  of  God  joyful. 
When,  therefore,  the  prophet  desired  to  behold 
this  fortified  city,  he  said,  Who  will  bring  me  into 
the  fortified  city?  or,  into  the  city  fenced  around, 
for  thus  Symmadius  translates:  for  the  gates  and 
doors  and  bolts  of  the  divine  powers  fence  it 
round,  that  it  may  not  be  oppressed  by  a  siege. 
Therefore  did  the  Savior  say  concerning  it,  I  will 
build  my  church  upon  a  rock,  and  the  gates  of 
hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it."  Commentary 
on  Ps.  59. 

"For  the  inventions  of  the  enemies  soon  dis- 
appeared being  refuted  by  the  truth  itself;  be- 
cause while  sect  after  sect  appeared  with  their  in- 
novations, the  earlier  ones  always  passed  away, 
and  splitting  up  into  numerous  and  manifold  forms 
would  go  to  ruin  in  one  way  or  another,  the  only 
true,   the    glorious,   the    Catholic    Church,   on   the 

31 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


contrary,  remaining  ever  firm  and  ever  the  self- 
same in  all  things,  still  went  on  increasing  and 
developing;  and  slhowed  forth  in  brilliant  light  the 
venerableness,  the  genuineness,  and  the  nobility, 
as  also  the  reasonableness  and  the  purity  of  its 
divine  doctrine  and  mode  of  life/'  Eccl.  Hist.,  Bk. 
4;  Ch.   11. 

St.  Athanasius,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  just- 
ly styled  the  Father  of  Orthodoxy  and  surnamed 
the  Great,  was  a  man  of  a  very  amiable  disposi- 
tion. We  are  told  that  he  knew  by  heart  nearly 
the  entire  Holy  Bible.  Through  the  envy  and 
hatred  of  the  Arians  he  was  sent  into  exile  five 
times,  but  his  return  was  always  an  occasion  of 
great  joy  to  the  faithful.  He  died  as  Patriarch 
of  Alexandria,  May  2,  373.  He  is  the  author  of 
many  works,  apologetic,  dogmatico-polemical,  his- 
torico-polemical,  exegetical,  moral,  and  arcetical. 
His  literary  works  are  deep  and  clear,  combining 
simplicity  of  expression  with  sublimity  of  thought. 

In  his  first  letter  to  Serapion  (No.  28)  we  read: 
"But  it  will  Jhardly  be  out  of  place  to  investigate 
likewise  the  ancient  tradition,  and  the  doctrine 
and  faith  of  the  Catholic  Church,  whidh  the  Lord 
communicated,  the  Apostles  proclaimed,  and  the 
Fathers  preserved ;  for  on  this  has  the  Church 
been  founded,  and  if  one  falls  away  from  this, 
he  can  by  no  means  be  a  Christian  or  even  be 
called  such  any  longer."  "The  synod  of  Nicea 
was   not  held  without  reason,   but  it   was  brought 

32 


WRITERS   OF   THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 

about  because  of  an  urgent  need,  and  for  legitimate 
cause. .  .Respecting  Easter  they  wrote  indeed,  It 
has  been  decreed  as  follows,  for  it  was  then  de- 
creed that  all  should  obey;  but  as  regards  faith, 
they  said  by  no  means,  'It  has  been  decreed,'  but 
Thus  believes  the  Catholic  Church,  and  at  once 
confessed  what  they  believed,  in  order  to  show 
that  their  sentiment  was  not  novel,  but  apostolic. 
And  the  things  which  they  handed  down  in  writ- 
ing were  not  invented  by  themselves,  but  they 
are  the  same  things  which  the  Apostles  have 
taught."     On  the  Synods,  No.  5. 

St.  Hilary  of  Poitiers  was,  like  many  others, 
converted  from  heathenism  to  Christianity  by  the 
perusal  of  Holy  Scripture.  He  wrote  a  volumi- 
nous work  in  twelve  books  on  the  Blessed  Trin- 
ity, several  historico-polemical,  a  number  of  bibli- 
cal commentaries  and  a  few  beautiful  liturgical 
hymns.    He  died  as  Bishop  of  Poitiers,  Jan.  13,  366. 

"In  sooth  Peter's  confession  obtained  a  worthy 
recompense.  Blessed  is  he  that  is  praised  as  hav- 
ing directed  bit  thoughts  and  seen  beyond  the 
ken  of  human  eyes,  not  regarding  what  was  of 
flesh  and  blood,  but  recognizing  by  revelation 
the  Son  of  God ;  as  being  accounted  worthy  to 
be  the  first  to  acknowledge  what  was  in  the  Christ 
of  God.  Oh,  happy  foundation  of  the  Church, 
— being  called  by  a  new  name — and  a  rock 
worthy  of  the  building  up  of  that  which  was  to 
destroy  the  infernal  laws  and   the    gates    of    hell, 

33 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


and  all  the  bars  of  death.  O  blessed  keeper  of 
the  gate  of  heaven,  to  whose  authority 
are  delivered  the  keys  of  the  eternal  por- 
tals; whose  judgment  on  earth  is  an  author- 
ity prejudged  in  heaven,  so  that  the  things  that 
are  either  loosed  or  bound  on  earth  may  acquire 
in  heaven  a  like  state  of  settlement.',  Commentary 
on  Matth.  XVI.,  No.  7.  "Assuredly,  thy  kindness 
must  listen  to  the  voice  of  those  who  exclaim,  'I 
am  a  Catholic,  I  will  not  be  a  heretic;  I  am  a 
Christian,  not  an  Arian,  and  better  were  it  for 
me  to  suffer  death  in  this  world,  than  to  violate 
the  spotless  virginity  of  truth,  because  of  the 
domineering  power  of  any  private  individual.'  " 
To   Constantine,  Bk.  1,   No.   2. 

St.  Basil  the  Great,  Metropolitan  of  Caesarea, 
a  great  theologian,  an  eloquent  speaker,  a  mas- 
terly writer,  but  above  all  a  man  of  indefatigable 
zeal  for  immortal  souls,  closed  his  most  busy 
earthly  career  January   1st,  379. 

"Since  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  our 
Lord  and  God  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  all  things 
were  made,  declares,  I  came  down  from  heaven 
not  to  do  my  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him  that 
sent  me,  even  the  Father,  and  of  myself  I  do 
nothing,  and,  I  have  received  a  commandment 
what  I  should  say,  and  what  I  should  speak; 
and  as  the  Holy  Ghost  distributes  gifts  great 
and  wonderful  and  worketh  all  in  all,  speaketh  noth- 
ing of  himself,  but  whatsoever  He  shall  hear  from 

34 


WRITERS   OF   THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 


the  Lord  that  He  speaks;  how  then,  I  ask,  is  it  more 
necessary  for  the  whole  Church  of  God,  careful 
to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace,  to  fulfill  what  is  said  in  the  Acts,  And  the 
multitude  of  believers  had  but  one  heart  and 
one  soul;  for  no  one  demanded  that  his  own 
will  be  done,  but  all  in  common  sought  in  the 
one  Holy  Spirit  the  will  of  that  one  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  says,  I  come  down  from  heaven,  not 
to  do  my  own  will;  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent 
me,  even  the  Father,  to  whom  he  says,  not  for 
them  only  do  I  pray  but  for  them  also  who 
through  their  word  believe  in  me,  that  they  all 
may  be  one. 

By  these  and  many  other  testimonies  which 
I  pass  over  in  silence,  I  am  thus  clearly  and  fully 
convinced  that  concord,  agreeably  to  the  will  of 
Christ  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  throughout  the  whole 
Church  of  God  together,  is  necessary."  On  the 
Judgment  of  God,   No.  4. 

St.  Ephraem,  the  Syrian,  is  styled  "doctor 
of  the  world,"  "lyre  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and 
"pillar  of  the  Church."  Many  of  his  writings 
were  read  in  the  churches,  as  St.  Jerome  informs  us. 
He  is  the  author  of  numerous  commentaries  on 
Holy  Scripture,  and  of  the  many  poets  of  Chris- 
tian Syria  he  is  the  most  renowned ;  this  "Prophet 
of  the  Syrians,"  as  his  admiring  countrymen  loved 
to  call  him,  died  in  the  year  373. 

"Thou  hast  also  built  a  Church  on  earth, 
35 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


which  resembles  the  Church  triumphant  (in 
heaven) ;  its  foundations  love  impelled  thee  to 
lay,  and  grace  presided  at  its  completion.  Thou 
hast  also  taken  it  as  thy  spouse,  and  hast  made 
it  thine  at  the  price  of  thy  blood.  But  since 
the  wicked  adversary  of  man,  and  his  satellites 
and  ministers,  are  striving  to  overthrow  so 
glorious  a  structure,  do  thou,  therefore,  O  Lord, 
guard  it  under  thy  protection,  that  the  gates  of 
hell  may  not  prevail  against  it;  that  its  inherent 
beauty  perish  not;  that,  in  fine,  its  treasures,  filled 
with  every  kind  of  wealth,  fail  not  and  be 
exhausted.  Fulfill,  O  Lord,  what  thou  didst 
promise  to  Peter,  the  prince  of  the  apostles."  Bk. 
3,  Paraeneses  62,  Page  532.  "Blessed  be  ihe 
chosen  one,  who  has  chosen  the  Catholic  Church, 
that  holy  lamb  which  the  devouring  wolf  has 
not  consumed. .  .Give  heed,  'therefore,  to  my  in- 
structions, as  my  disciples,  and  depart  not  from 
the  Catholic  faith,  which  I  also,  having  received 
it  in  my  boyhood,  have  preserved  immovable; 
neither  turn  aside  from  it  in  any  doubt.  And  if 
any  one  separated,  whoso  goes,  or  turns  aside, 
in  opposition  to  Go'd  and  his  Holy  Church,  may  he 
be  forced  down,  breathing  and  living,  into  hell 
...And  if  any  one  be  lifted  up  against  the  Cath- 
olic Church,  may  he  be  smitten  with  leprosy, 
like  the  foolish  Giezi."  Book  2,  Testament,  Pages 
242-243. 

St.  Jerome,    born    at    Stridon,  331,    was    bap- 
36 


WRITERS   OF   THE   FIRST   CENTURIES 

tized  at  Rome  by  Pope  Liberius  about  364  and 
ordained  priest  by  bishop  Paulinus  of  Antioch, 
379.  At  the  special  request  of  Pope  Damasus 
he  undertook  the  monumental  work  of  prepar- 
ing a  more  accurate  Latin  text  of  the  entire 
Bible.  He  died  420.  He  writes:  "My  resolu- 
tion is  to  read  the  ancients,  to  try  everything, 
to  hold  fast  what  is  good  and  not  to  recede 
from  the  faith  of  the  Catholic  Church."  Letter 
119,  to  Minervius,  No.  11. 

"They  shall  not  fall  that  dwell  on  the  earth, 
and  have  their  resting  place  in  the  Church, 
which  is  the  abode  of  the  Father,  and  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost.'*  Commentary  on  Isaias 
Book  8,  26;  18.  "There  stands  one  in  the 
midst  of  you  whom  you  know  not;  and  He  will 
dwell  there  not  for  a  short  time,  as  in  the  syn- 
agogue, but  for  ever,  as  is  verified  in  the  Church 
of  Christ."  Comm.  on  Ezechiel  43;  9.  "As  the 
lightning  cometh  out  of  the  east,  and  appeareth 
even  unto  the  west;  so  shall  also  the  coming 
of  the  Son  of  man  be.  Go  ye  not  out,  believe 
not  that  the  Son  of  man  is  either  in  the  desert 
of  the  Gentiles,  or  in  the  closets  of  the  heretics; 
but,  that  from  the  east  even  unto  the  west  His 
faith  shineth  in  the  Catholic  churches.''  Comm. 
on  Matth.  24;  27.  "The  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it.  I  consider  the  gates  of  hell 
to  be  the  vices  and  sins,  or  at  least  the  doctrines 

37 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


of  heretics  by  which,  being  seduced,  men  are   led 
to  hell."    Comm.  on  Matth.  16,  18,  Bk.  3. 

St.  Augustine,  Bishop  of  Hippo  (died  430), 
by  all  odds  the  greatest  of  the  ancient  Fathers 
of  the  Church,  and  the  greatest  of  its  Doctors, 
possessed  the  creative  power  of  a  Tertullian, 
the  ecclesiastical  sentiments  of  a  St.  Cyprian, 
the  dialectic  precision  of  an  Aristotle,  the  ideal 
speculative  sublimity  of  a  Plato,  and  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  the  human  heart.  He  is  the 
author  of  ninety-three  works  in  two  hundred 
and  thirty-two  books,  without  the  many  tracts 
and  letters.  Dr.  O.  Bardenhewer  tells  us :  "He 
still  passes  for  one  of  those  mighty  spirits  that 
appear  only  at  great  intervals  of  time,  but  are 
destined  to  influence  very  powerfully  the  destiny 
of  humanity.  He  has  earned  from  all  later  gen- 
erations the  title  of  a  Second  Paul,  a  Doctor 
Gratiae.  No  Father  of  the  Church  has,  even  re- 
motely, so  magisterially  affected  the  entire  later 
course  of  philosophy  and  theology,  as  Augustine 
did.  With  princely  generosity  he  scattered  along 
his  way  ideas  in  which  later  thinkers  found  the 
materials  for  entire  systems  of  doctrine. .  .His 
writings  are  the  faithful  reflection  of  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Church."  Bardenhewer-Shahan,  Pa- 
trology,  P.  495.  St.  Augustine  writes:  "In  the 
Catholic  Church,  not  to  mention  that  most  sound 
wisdom,  to  the  knowledge  of  which  a  few  spir- 
itual  men   attain  in    this   life,    so    as    to  know    it 

38 


WRITERS   OF   THE   FIRST   CENTURIES 

in  a  very  small  measure  indeed,  for  they  are  but 
men,  but  still  to  know  it  without  doubtfulness 
— for  it  is  not  quickness  of  understanding,  but  sim- 
plicity of  belief,  that  makes  the  rest  of  the  masses 
most  safe, — not  to  mention,  therefore,  this  wis- 
dom, which  you  (Manichees)  do  not  believe  to  be 
in  the  Catholic  Church,  many  other  things  there 
are  which  most  justly  keep  me  in  her  fold. 
The  agreement  of  peoples  and  of  nations  keep 
me;  an  authority  begun  with  miracles,  nourish- 
ed with  hope,  increased  with  charity,  strength- 
ened by  antiquity,  keeps  me;  the  succession  of 
priests  from  the  very  chair  of  Peter  the  Apostle — 
unto  whom  the  Lord  after  His  resurrection 
committed  His  sheep  to  be  fed — down  even  to 
the  present  pontificate  keeps  me;  finally,  the 
name  itself  of  the  Catholic  Church  keeps  me, — 
a  name  which,  in  the  midst  of  so  many  heresies, 
this  Church  alone  has,  not  without  cause,  so  held 
possession  of  as  that,  though  all  heretics  would 
fain  'have  themselves  called  Catholics,  yet  to 
the  enquiry  of  any  stranger:  Where  is  the  as- 
sembly of  the  Catholic  Church  held?  no  heretic 
would  dare  to  point  out  his  own  basilica  or 
house.  These  ties  of  the  Christian  name,  there- 
fore, so  numerous,  so  powerful,  and  most  dear, 
justly  keep  a  believing  man  in  the  Catholic 
Church."  Against  the  Letter  of  Manichaeus,  No 
5.  "That  Church  assuredly  is  one,  which  our 
ancestors    called   the     Catholic,   that    they    might 

39 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


show  by  the  name  itself  that  it  is  throughout  the 
whole  world."  On  the  Unity  of  the  Church,  N.  2. 
'The  Christian  religion  is  to  be  held  by  us,  and  the 
communion  of  that  Church  which  is  Catholic  and 
is  called  Catholic  not  only  by  its  own  members, 
but  also  by  all  its  adversaries.  For  in  spite  of 
themselves,  even  the  very  heretics,  and  disciples 
of  schisms,  when  speaking  not  with  their  fel- 
lows, but  with  strangers,  call  the  Catholic  Church 
nothing  else  but  the  Catholic  Church.  For  they 
cannot  be  understood,  unless  they  distinguish 
her  by  that  name  by  which  she  is  called  by  the 
whole  world."     On  the  True  Religion,  No.  12. 

St.  Vincent  of  Lerin,  Priest  and  Monk  (died 
about  450),  was  one  of  the  more  prominent  theo- 
logical writers  of  the  fifth  century.  Under  the 
pseudonym  of  Peregrinus  he  composed  two  high- 
ly esteemed  Commonitoria.  "While  often  in- 
quiring with  great  earnestness  and  the  utmost 
attention,  of  very  many  men  excelling  in  holi- 
ness and  learning,  how  I  might,  by  some  cer- 
tain, and,  as  it  were,  general  and  undeviating 
way,  discern  the  truth  of  Catholic  faith  from  the 
falseness  of  heretical  pravity,  I  have  received 
from  almost  all  something  like  this  answer: 
That  whether  I,  or  anyone  else,  would  fain  find 
out  the  deceptions,  and  avoid  the  snares  of  the 
heretics  as  they  spring  up,  and  remain  safe  and 
sound  in  the  sound  faith,  he  ought,  in  two  ways, 
to  fortify,  with   God's  assistance,  his  faith.     First, 

40 


WRITERS   OF   THE    FIRST   CENTURIES 

that  is,  by  the  authority  of  the  divine  Law;  and 
then,  by  the  tradition  of  the  Catholic  Church. 
Here  some  one  perhaps  may  ask,  'Seeing  that 
the  Canon  of  the  Scriptures  is  perfect,  and  of 
itself  enough  and  more  than  enough  for  every- 
thing, what  need  is  there  that  the  authority  of 
the  Church's  understanding  be  joined  unto 
it?'  The  reason  is,  because  all  men  do  not  take 
the  Sacred  Scripture,  on  account  of  its  very  pro- 
foundness, in  one  and  the  same  sense;  but  this 
man  and  that  man,  in  this  way,  and  that  way, 
interprets  the  sayings  thereof;  that  as  many 
opinions  almost  as  there  are  men,  would  seem 
to  be  capable  of  being  drawn  therefrom.  For 
Novatian  expounds  it  in  one  way,  in  another 
Sabellius,  in  another  Arius,  Eunomius,  Macedo- 
nius,  in  another  Photinus,  Apollinaris,  Priscillian, 
in  another  Jovinian,  Pelagius,  Celestius,  in  an- 
other, in  fine,  Nestorius.  And  for  this  cause  it 
is  very  necessary,  on  account  of  the  many  doub- 
lings of  error  so  varied  that  the  line 
of  interpretation,  both  of  prophets  and 
apostles,  be  directed  according  to  the  rule  of 
the  ecclesiastical  and  Catholic  sense.  Again  in 
the  Catholic  Church  itself,  very  great  care  is  to 
be  taken  that  we  hold  that  which  hath  been  be- 
lieved everywhere,  always,  and  by  all  men.  For 
Catholic  is  truly  and  properly  that,  as  the  very 
force  and  meaning  of  the  word  declares,  which 
comprises  all  things    in  general,  after    a    univer- 

41 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


sal  manner;  and  this  is  thus,  in  fine,  attained, 
— if  we  follow  universality,  antiquity,  consent. 
Now,  we  follow  universality  thus, — if  we  con- 
fess this  one  faith  to  be  true,  which  the  whole 
Church  throughout  the  world  confesses, — antiqui- 
ty, thus,  if  we  in  no  wise  recede  from  the  senses 
which  it  is  manifest  that  our  holy  elders  and 
Fathers  openly  manifested, — consent,  likewise  in 
the  same  manner,  if,  in  this  antiquity  itself,  we  ad- 
here to  the  definitions  and  sentiments  of  all,  or 
at  least  of  nearly  all  the  priests  and  doctors  to- 
gether. 

What  then  shall  a  Catholic  Christian  do,  if 
some  small  part  of  the  Church  cut  itself  off  from 
the  communion  of  the  universal  faith?  What, 
indeed,  but  prefer  the  healthiness  of  the  whole 
body  before  the  pestiferous  and  corrupt  mem- 
ber? What  if  some  novel  contagion  attempt  to 
taint  no  longer  a  small  part  only,  but  the  whole 
Church  alike?  Then,  likewise,  shall  he  see  to 
it  that  he  cleave  unto  antiquity,  which  is  now 
utterly  incapable  of  being  seduced  by  any  craft 
of  novelty.  What,  if  in  antiquity  itself,  there 
be  discovered  some  error  of  two  or  three  men, 
or  of  some  one  city  or  province  even?  Then  he 
shall  by  all  means  give  heed  that  he  prefer,  be- 
fore the  temerity  or  ignorance  of  a  few,  the  de- 
crees, if  such  there  be  of  a  general  council,  uni- 
versally received  of  old.  What,  if  some  such 
case    arise,    wherein   nothing  of    this   nature    can 

42 


WRITERS   OF   THE   FIRST   CENTURIES 

be  found?  Then  shall  he  bestow  his  labor  to 
consult  and  interrogate  the  collated  sentiments 
of  the  ancients, — of  those,  to  wit,  who,  though 
living  at  different  times  and  places,  yet  remain- 
ing in  the  union  and  faith  of  the  one  Catholic 
Church,  were  trust-worthy  teachers ;  and  whatso- 
ever he  shall  recognize  that  not  one  or  two 
only,  but  all  alike,  with  one  unvarying  consent, 
plainly,  frequently,  unswervingly  held,  wrote, 
taught,  that,  let  him  understand,  is  to  be  be- 
lieved by  him  without  any  doubt. . . 

To  announce,  therefore,  to  Catholic  Chris- 
tians, anything  besides  that  which  they  have 
received,  never  was  lawful,  never  will  be  law- 
ful; and  to  anathematize  those  who  announce 
anything  besides  that  which  has  been  once  re- 
ceived, was  never  otherwise  than  needful,  is  every- 
where needful,  ever  will  be  needful.  Which  be- 
ing so,  is  there  any  one  of  so  great  audacity  as 
to  teach  besides  that  which  has  been  taught  in 
the  Church;  or  of  such  levity  as  to  receive  any- 
thing besides  that  which  he  has  received  from 
the  Church?  There  cries  aloud,  and  he  cries  aloud 
again  and  again,  to  all  men,  to  all  times,  and  to 
all  places  he  cries  aloud  by  his  epistles,  that  ves- 
sel of  election  (St.  Paul),  that  master  of  the 
Gentiles.  ..that  if  any  one  announce  a  new 
dogma,  let  him  be  anathematized. .  .Oftentimes 
pondering  and  reflecting  on  these  self-same 
things,  I  cannot  sufficiently  marvel  that    such    is 

43 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


the  madness  of  some  men,  such  the  impiety  of 
their  blinded  understanding,  such,  in  fine,  their 
lust  after  error,  that  ;they  be  not  content  with 
the  rule  of  belief  once  delivered  and  received 
from  antiquity,  but  do  daily  seek  after  some- 
thing new,  and  ever  be  longing  to  add  some- 
thing to  religion,  to  change,  to  take  away;  as 
though  it  were  not  a  doctrine  from  heaven, 
which  once  revealed  suffices,  but  an  earthly  in- 
stitution, which  cannot  otherwise  be  perfected 
than  by  continuous  amendment,  yea,  rather,  cor- 
rection ;  whereas  the  divine  oracles  cry  out,  Do 
not  transfer  the  bounds  which  thy  fathers  have 
set;  and,  Do  not  judge  over  the  judge;  and,  The 
serpent  shall  bite  him  that  breaketh  the  hedge; 
and  that  apostolic  saying  by  which  all  wicked 
novelties  of  all  heresies  have  often,  as  a  kind 
of  spiritual  sword,  been  cut  off,  and  ever  will 
be  cut  off:  O  Timothy,  keep  that  which  is  com- 
mitted to  thy  trust,  avoiding  the  profane  novel- 
ties of  words,  and  oppositions  of  knowledge 
falsely  so  called,  which  some  promising,  have 
erred  concerning  the  f aith . ...  Avoid,  he  says,  the 
profane  novelties  of  words;  he  did  not  say,  avoid 
antiquities;  he  did  not  say,  avoid  ancientness; 
yea,  rather,  he  shows  what  contrariwise  he  should 
follow.  For  if  novelty  is  to  be  avoided,  antiqui- 
ty is  to  be  held  to;  and  if  novelty  be  profane, 
antiquity  is  sacred...  But  it  is  worth  while  to 
handle    with    greater    care    the    whole  passage  of 

44 


WRITERS  OF   THE   FIRST  CENTURIES 

the  Apostle:  O  Timothy,  keep  that  which  is 
committed  to  thy  trust  avoiding  the  profane 
novelties  of  words!  Who  is  at  this  day  Tim- 
othy? But  either  generally,  the  universal  Church, 
or  specially,  the  whole  body  of  prelates,  who 
ought  either  themselves  to  have  a  complete 
knowledge  of  divine  worship,  or  who  ought  to 
infuse  it  into  others.  What  is,  Keep  the  depos- 
it? peep  it,  he  says,  for  fear  of  thieves,  for 
fear  of  enemies,  lest,  while  men  sleep,  they  over- 
sow cockle  upon  that  good  seed  of  wheat,  which 
the  Son  of  man  had  sowed  in  His  field.  Keep, 
he  says,  the  depositum.  What  is  the  deposi- 
tum?  that  is  that  which  is  committed  to  thee, 
not  that  which  is  invented  by  thee;  what  thou 
hast  received,  not  what  thou  hast  devised;  a 
thing  not  of  wit,  but  of  doctrine,  not  of  private 
assumption,  but  of  public  tradition;  a  thing 
brought  to  thee,  not  brought  forth  by  thee;  where- 
in thou  must  not  be  an  author,  but  a  keeper; 
not  a  beginner,  but  a  disciple ;  not  a  leader,  but 
a  follower.  The  depositum,  he  says,  keep;  pre- 
serve the  talent  of  Catholic  faith  inviolate  and 
untouched;  that  which  is  entrusted  to  thee,  let 
that  remain  with  thee,  let  that  be  delivered  by 
thee... But,  haply,  some  one  says,  shall  we  then 
have  no  advancement  of  religion  in  the  Church 
of  Christ?  Let  us  have  it  indeed,  and  the  great- 
est. For  who  is  he,  so  envious  of  men,  so  hate- 
ful   to  God,  as  to   hinder   this?     But  yet    in  such 

45 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


sort  that  it  be  truly  an  advancement  of  faith,  not 
a  change.  Seeing  that  it  is  the  nature  of  an  ad- 
vancement, that  in  itself  each  thing  grow  great- 
er; but  of  a  change  that  something  be  turned 
from  one  thing  into  another.  Wherefore  the  un- 
derstanding, knowledge,  wisdom,  as  well  of  each 
as  of  all,  as  well  of  one  man  as  of  the  whole 
Church,  ought,  with  the  advance  of  times  and 
ages,  to  increase  and  go  forward  abundantly  and 
earnestly;  but  in  its  own  kind  only,  in  the  same 
doctrine,  to  wit,  in  the  same  sense,  and  in  the 
same  sentiment.  Let  the  soul's  religion  imitate 
the  law  of  the  body  which  as  years  go  on, 
develops  indeed,  and  opens  out  its  due  propor- 
tions and  yet  remains  identically  what  it  was. 
So  also  the  doctrine  of  the  Christian  religion 
must  follow  those  laws  of  advancement;  name- 
ly, that  with  years  it  be  consolidated,  with  time 
it  be  expanded,  with  age  it  be  exalted;  yet  re- 
main uncorrupt  and  untouched,  and  be  full  and 
perfect  in  all  the  proportions  of  each  of  its  parts, 
and  with  all  its  members,  as  it  were,  and  prop- 
er senses ;  that  it  admit  no  change  besides,  sus- 
tain no  loss  of  its  propriety,  no  variety  of  its 
definition."      1    Commonitorium,    No.   1-29    passim. 


46 


Chronological  List  of  Popes  as  Proof  of  the  Apos- 

tolicity  and  Continuity  of  the 

Catholic  Church. 

The  continuity  of  any  government  may  be 
ascertained  by  the  uninterrupted  succession  of 
its  chief  executives.  Upon  the  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence, July  4th,  1776,  followed  the  grad- 
ual development  of  a  new  republic,  of  which 
George  Washington  was  elected  the  first  pres- 
ident in  1789.  Now  if  I  should  want  to  prove 
to  any  one  seeking  such  information,  that  the 
same  republic  is  still  in  existence,  the  simplest 
way  of  doing  this  would  be  to  establish  the  legi- 
timate claim  of  the  present  chief  executive  of 
this  glorious  republic  to  his  rights  as  chief  magis- 
trate. This  I  can  do  by  showing  that  he  was 
legally  elected  to  the  presidency,  which  office, 
though  successively  held  by  many,  has  never 
been  abolished,  nor  has  it  ever  been  vacant  for 
any  considerable  time.  In  other  words,  by  enu- 
merating the  names  of  all  its  presidents,  I  prove 
the  continuity  of  the  republic  of  which  they  were 
presidents. 

Similarly,  the  enumeration  of  the  chief  ex- 
ecutives of  the  Catholic  Church,  the  bishops  of 
Rome,  engenders    the    conviction  of    the    uninter- 

47 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


rupted  existence  of  the  Catholic  Church  from  the 
days  of  Jesus  Christ  until  the  present  moment. 
As  we  saw  in  the  preceding  articles  Jesus  Christ 
appointed  St.  Peter  as  head  of  His  Church.  From 
Antioch,  where  the  Prince  of  the  Apostles  was 
the  first  bishop,  he  came  to  Rome  and  established 
his  see  in  the  Eternal  City.  As  head  of  the 
Church,  St.  Peter  is  called  Pope.  All  his  legiti- 
mate successors  in  the  episcopal  see  of  Rome 
hold  the  same  supreme  jurisdiction  over  the  en- 
tire Catholic  Church. 

Should  any  one  of  my  readers  feel  inclined 
to  doubt  the  correctness  of  the  names  or  the 
chronology  of  the  list,  I  ask  them  in  all  kindness 
to  consult  any  reliable  historian  or  any  standard 
encyclopedia  and  compare  results. 

Since  quite  a  number  of  the  Popes  went  by 
the  same  name,  it  will  not  be  considered  super- 
fluous to  remark  that  it  was  only  since  the  13th 
century  that  the  Popes  began  to  add  numbers  to 
their  names;  Urban  IV.,  1261-1264,  began  this. 
Hence  the  enumeration  of  Popes  with  the  same 
name  of  earlier  date  is  the  work  of  historians. 

Since  Felix  II.,  of  the  fourth  century,  was 
an  antipope  during  the  exile  of  Pope  Liberius, 
his  name  does  not  appear  on  this  chronological 
list. 

Stephen  II.  died  three  days  after  his  election 
and  was  never  consecrated  as  Pope.  Some  chro- 
nologists    mention    him    among  the    Popes    of  the 

48 


LIST   OF  THE    POPES 


eighth  century;  but  I  omit  him  on  this  list,  as 
do  most  modern  cataloguers.  John  XVI.  of 
Piacenza  was  nominated  by  a  faction  only 
and  posed  as  antipope  996-999.  His  name 
does  not  belong  to  the  list.  In  the  thir- 
teenth century  Sept.  16th,  1276,  Peter  Juliani 
was  elected  Pope.  He  erroneously  called  him- 
self John  XXL,  whereas  he  should  have  chosen 
the  numeral  XX.     There  is  no  Pope  John  XX. 

If  the  reader  keeps  in  mind  that  the  legiti- 
mate successor  in  the  episcopal  see  of  Rome  is 
at  the  same  time  the  Pope  of  the  whole  Church, 
he  will  easily  understand  why  the  names  of 
pretenders,  the  names  of  antipopes,  are  not  found 
on   this  chronological  list. 


49 


LIST  OF  THE  POPES. 

First  Century. 
St.  Peter.  St.    Anacletus  (sometimes 

called    Cletus). 
St.  Linus.  St.    Clement  I. 

Second  Century. 
St.    Evaristus.  St.   Pius   I. 

St.   Alexander   I.  St.  Anicdtus. 

St.  Sixtus  I.  St.  Soter. 

St.  Telesphorus.  St.    Eleutherus. 

St.  Hyginus.  St.  Victor  I. 

Third    Century. 
St.  Zephyrinus.  St.  Lucius    I. 

St.  Callixtus   I.  St.  Stephen  I. 

St.  Urban  I.  St.   Sixtus  II. 

St.    Pontianus.  St.  Dionysius. 

St.  Anterus.  St.  Felix  I. 

St.   Fabian.  St.    Eutychianus. 

St.  Cornelius.  St.  Caius. 

Fourth    Century. 
St.  Marcellinus.  St.  Mark. 

St.  Marcellus  I.  St.   Julius    I. 

St.    Eusebius.  Liberius. 

St.    Melchiades.  St.   Damasus   I. 

St.   Sylvester  I.  St.    Siricius. 

Fifth  Century. 
St.    Anastasius   I.  St.  Leo  I. 

St.  Innocent   I.  St.  Hilary. 

50 


LIST  OF   THE    POPES 


St.  Zosimus. 
St.  Boniface  I. 
St.  Celestine  I. 
St.  Sixtus  III. 

St.  Symmachus. 
St.  Hormisdas. 
St.  John   I. 
St.  Felix  IV. 
Boniface    II. 
John  II. 
St.  Agapetus  I. 

St.   Gregory  I. 
Sabinianus. 
Boniface    III. 
St.  Boniface   IV 
Adeodatus   I. 

or 
St.   Deusdedit. 
Boniface   V. 
Honorius  I. 
Severinus. 
John  IV. 
Theodore   I. 

John  VI. 
John  VII. 
Sisinnius. 


St.  Simplicius. 
St.  Felix  III. 
St.  Gelasius  I. 
St.   Anastasius   II. 
Sixth    Century. 

St.  Sylverius. 
Vigilius. 
Pelagius     I. 
John  III. 
Benedict  I. 
Pelagius  II. 

Seventh    Century. 

St.  Martin  I. 

Eugene  I. 

Vitalian. 

St.  Adeodatus  II. 

Donus   (also  called  Dom- 
nus). 

St.    Agatho. 

St.  Leo  II. 

St.    Benedict  II. 

John  V. 

Conon. 

St.   Sergius  I. 
Eighth  Century. 

Constantine. 

St.    Gregory  II. 

St.   Gregory  III. 
51 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


St.  Zachary. 
Stephen  II. 
St.  Paul  I. 


St.  Leo    III. 
Stephen  IV. 

St.    Pascal   I. 
Eugene  II. 
Valentine. 
Gregory  IV. 
Sergius   II. 
St.  Leo  IV. 
Benedict  III. 
St.   Nicholas  I. 
Adrian  II. 

Benedict    IV. 
Leo  V. 
Christopher. 
Sergius    III. 
Anastasius    III. 
Lando. 
John  X. 
Leo  VI. 
Stephen    VII. 
John    XI. 
Leo  VII. 
Stephen  VIII. 


Stephen  III. 
Adrian    I. 

Ninth   Century. 

John  VIII. 

Marinus       (also       called 

Martin  II). 
Adrian  III. 
Stephen   V. 
Formosus. 
Boniface  VI. 
Stephen   VI. 
Romanus. 
Theodore  II. 
John    IX. 

Tenth  Century. 

Marinus    II    (also    called 

Martin    III). 
Agapetus  II. 
John  XII. 
Benedict  V. 
Leo  VIII. 
John  X<IIL 
Benedict  VI. 
Benedict  VII. 
John  XIV. 
John  XV. 
Gregory    V. 
52 


LIST   OF  THE    POPES 


Sylvester  II. 
John    XVII. 
John  XVIII. 
Sergius    IV. 
Benedict   VIII. 
John  XIX. 
Benedict    IX. 
Gregory   VI. 
Clement  II. 

Pascal  II. 
Gelasius  II. 
Calixtus  II. 
Honorius  II. 
Innocent  II. 
Celestine  II. 
Lucius  II. 
Eugene    III. 


Innocent  III. 
Honorius   III. 
Gregory  IX. 
Celestine   IV. 
Innocent   IV. 
Alexander    IV. 
Urban  IV. 
Clement  IV. 
Blessed   Gregory  X. 


Eleventh  Century. 

Damasus  II. 
St.   Leo   IX. 
Victor  II. 
Stephen    IX. 
Nicholas  II. 
Alexander  II. 
St.   Gregory  VII. 
Victor  III. 
Urban  II. 

Twelfth    Century. 

Anastasius  IV. 
Adrian    IV. 
Alexander  III. 
Lucius  III. 
Urban    III. 
Gregory  VIII. 
Clement   III. 
Celestine    III. 

Thirteenth   Century. 

Innocent  V. 
Adrian  V. 
John   XXI. 
Nicholas  III. 
Martin   IV. 
Honorius  IV. 
Nicholas  IV. 
St.  Celestine  V. 


53 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


Fourteenth    Century. 

Boniface  VIII.  Clement  VI 

Blessed  Benedict    XL 
Clement   V. 


John  XXII. 
Benedict  XII. 

Boniface    IX. 
Innocent  VII. 
Gregory  XII. 
Martin  V. 
Eugene   IV. 
Nicholas    V. 

Alexander   VI. 
Pius   III. 
Julius  II. 
Leo  X. 
Adrian   VI. 
Clement  VII. 
Paul  III. 
Julius  III. 
Marcellus    II. 

Clement    VIII 
Leo  XL 
Paul  V. 
Gregory  XV. 
Urban  VIII. 
Innocent  X. 


Innocent   VI. 
Bl.   Urban   V. 
Gregory  XL 
Urban  VI. 
Fifteenth  Century. 

Calixtus    III. 
Pius  II. 
Paul  II. 
Sixtus  IV. 
Innocent  VIII. 

Sixteenth    Century. 
Paul  IV. 
Pius  IV. 
St.  Pius   V. 
Gregory   XIII. 
Sixtus  V. 
Urban  VII. 
Gregory   XIV. 
Innocent   IX. 

Seventeenth  Century. 

Alexander   VII. 
Clement  IX. 
Clement  X. 
Innocent  XL 
Alexander    VIII. 
Innocent   XII. 
54 


LIST  OF  THE    POPES 


Clement  XL 
Innocent  XIII. 
Benedict   XIII. 
Clement  XII. 

Pius  VII. 
Leo  XII. 
Pius  VIII. 

Leo  XIII. 


Eighteenth    Century. 

Benedict  XIV. 
Clement  XIII. 
Clement  XIV. 
Pius  VI. 
Nineteenth     Century. 

Gregory    XVI. 
Pius   IX. 

Twentieth    Century. 
Pius  X. 


55 


THE  SEVEN  SACRAMENTS. 

Sacraments  are  visible  signs  permanently  in- 
stituted by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  signs 
signify  and  confer  grace.  They  are  channels  of 
grace  and  thus  become  means  of  sanctity.  Jesus 
Christ  instituted  the  following  seven  sacraments: 
Baptism,  Confirmation,  the  Holy  Eucharist,  Pen- 
ance, Extreme  Unction,  Holy  Orders,  and  Mat- 
rimony. Ever  since  the  time  of  Christ  these 
seven  sacraments  have  been  and  still  are  in  the 
Catholic  Church. 

I.  Baptism. 

The  sacrament  of  Baptism — or,  if  it  can- 
not be  actually  received,  a  desire  for  the  same — 
is  indispensably  necessary  for  salvation.  Jesus 
himself  has  said:  "Amen,  amen  I  say  to  thee, 
unless  a  man  be  born  again  of  water  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."  St.  John  3;  5.  Shortly  before  His  glor- 
ious ascension  into  heaven,  He  commissioned  His 
Apostles:  "Going  therefore,  teach  ye  all  na- 
tions; baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  St. 
Matth.  28;  19. 

On  the  day  on  which  the  Holy  Ghost  came 
down  upon  the  Apostles  devout  men,  out  of  every 
nation  under  heaven,  amazed  and  wondering 
over  the  things  which   they  saw  and  heard,  "said 

56 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


to  Peter,  and  to  the  rest  of  the  Apostles :  What 
shall  we  do,  men  and  brethren?  But  Peter  said 
to  them :  Do  penance,  and  be  baptized  every  one 
of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  re- 
mission of  your  sins."  Acts  2;  37,  38.  When 
Saul  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  Christ:  "Saul, 
Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?"  Saul  converted. 
"And  (Ananias)  laying  his  hands  upon  him,  he 
said:  Brother  Saul,  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  sent 
me,  he  that  appeared  to  thee  in  the  way  as  thou 
earnest;  that  thou  mayest  receive  thy  sight,  and 
be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  immediate- 
ly there  fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  were  scales,  and 
he  received  his  sight ;  and  rising  up,  he  was  bap- 
tized." Acts  9;  17,  18.  "Then  Peter  answered:  "Can 
any  man  forbid  water  that  these  should  not  be 
baptized,  who  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as 
well  as  we?  And  he  commanded  them  to  be 
baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Acts   10  ;47,  48. 

In  the  famous  Didache,  or  Teaching  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles,  which  dates  back  to  the 
first  century,  we  find  the  following  extract  on 
baptism :  "Now  concerning  baptism,  thus  shall 
you  baptize:  Baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  flow- 
ing water.  But  if  you  have  no  flowing  water, 
then  baptize  in  other  water.  And  if  it  be  im- 
possible to  do  so  in  cold  water,  then  use  warm 
water.     But  if  you  have  neither  (i.  e.,  a   sufficient 

57 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


quantity  for  baptism  by  immersion),  then  pour 
water  on  the  head  thrice  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Chap. 
VII. 

St.  Justin  (died  about  167)  speaking  of  the 
catechumens,  writes:  "They  are  then  conducted 
hy  us  to  a  place  where  there  is  water  and  are 
regenerated  in  the  same  manner  of  regeneration 
in  which  we  ourselves  have  been  regenerated. 
For  in  the  name  of  God  the  Father  and  Lord  of 
the  universe,  and  of  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ, 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  then  receive  bap- 
tism in  the  water.  For  Christ  has  said:  Unless 
you  shall  have  been  born  again  you  shall  not  enter 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."     1.  Apology,  No.  61. 

St.  Irenaeus  (died  about  202) :  "And  giving 
to  the  disciples  the  power  of  regeneration  unto 
God,  he  said  to  them :  Going,  teach  all  nationss 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of 
the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Against  Here- 
sies, Bk.  3;  Chap.  17.  "For  He  came  to  save  all 
men  through  himself:  all,  I  repeat,  who  through 
Him,  are  born  again  unto  God;  infants,  children, 
youths,  men,  and  old  age.  Therefore  did  He  pass 
through  every  age;  an  infant  with  the  infants  to 
sanctify  infants;  with  the  children  a  child  to 
sanctify  those  of  that  age."  Against  Heresies 
Bk.  2,  Chap.  22,  No.  4. 

Origen  (died  about  254)  :  "The  Church  has 
received  from  the  Apostles  the  tradition  to  confer 

58 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


baptism  also  upon  little  children."  Commentary 
on  Ep.  to  the  Romans,  Bk.  V,  No.  9. 

St.  Cyprian  (died  258) :  "Now  as  to  the  case 
of  infants,  who,  you  say,  ought  not  to  be  bap- 
tized within  the  second  or  third  day  after  birth, 
and  that  the  law  of  the  ancient  circumcision  ought 
to  be  had  regard  to,  so  that,  in  your  opinion,  the 
new-born  child  ought  not  to  be  baptized  and  hal- 
lowed before  the  eighth  day;  it  has  seemed  far 
otherwise  to  our  council.  For  not  one  agreed 
to  what  you  thought  ought  to  be  done ;  but  we  all, 
on  the  contrary,  judged  that  to  no  man  born  the 
mercy  and  grace  ol  God  ought  to  be  denied." 
Letter  59  to  Fidus,  No.  2. 

St.  Athanasius  (373)  :  "For  what  is  said  in 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (6;4)  does  not  ex- 
clude sinners  from  repentance,  but  shows  that 
the  baptism  of  the  Catholic  Church  is  one,  and 
not  twofold."    Letter  IV.  to  Serapion,No.   13. 

St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem  (386)  :  "Verily,  great 
is  the  baptism  which  is  before  you ;  it  is  a  ran- 
som for  the  captives;  the  remission  of  guilt;  the 
death  of  sin;  the  soul's  regeneration;  a  garment 
of  light;  a  holy  seal  indissoluble;  a  chariot  to 
heaven;  the  joy  of  paradise;  the  cause  of  obtain- 
ing the  kingdom ;  the  gift  of  adoption."  Pro- 
catechesis,«No.   16. 

St.  Pacian  (died  390)  :  "The  sin  of  Adam  had 
passed  unto  the  whole  race :  For  by  one  man,  says 
the   apostle,    sin    entered,   and  by    sin   death,   and 

59 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


so  (death)  passed  upon  all  men.  Therefore,  the 
justice  of  Christ  also  must  needs  pass  unto  the 
human  race. .  .Christ  begets  in  the  Church  by- 
means  of  His  priests,  as  says  the  same  Apostle,  In 
Christ  have  I  begotten  you. .  .These  things  cannot 
be  otherwise  fulfilled  than  by  the  sacrament  of  the 
laver  and  of  the  chrism  and  of  the  bishop.  For 
by  the  laver,  sins  are  cleansed  away;  by  chrism, 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  poured  upon  us;  but  both  these 
we  obtain  at  the  hand  and  mouth  of  the  bishop; 
and  thus  the  whole  man  is  born  again  and  is  re- 
newed  in  Christ."     Sermon   on  Baptism,  No.   5,  6. 

St.  Jerome  (died  420) :  Pelagian :  "Tell  me, 
pray,  why  infants  are  baptized?"  Catholic:  "That 
the  sins  may  be  forgiven  t'hem  in  baptism."  Dia- 
logue   against    the     Pelagians,     Bk.     3,     No.     18. 

St.  Augustine  (died  430) :  "As  none  is  pro- 
hibited from  receiving  baptism,  from  the  child 
just  born  even  to  the  decrepit  old  man,  so  there 
is  none  that  does  not  die  to  sin  in  baptism ;  infants, 
however,  to  original  sin  only,  but  adults  die  also 
to  all  those  sins,  which  by  living  ill  they  have 
added  to  that  which  they  derived  from  their  birth.*' 
Enchiridion,   No.  43. 

II.  Confirmation. 

In  Baptism  we  are  made  the  temples  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  but  in  Confirmation  we  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  all  the  plen  itude  of  His  graces.  This 
sacrament  conferred  on  baptized  persons  strength- 

60 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


ens  them  in  the  profession  of  the  Christian  faith. 
Though  our  Lord  had  given  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
His  Apostles,  nevertheless  they  remained  fearful 
until  Pentecost-day,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  with 
the  plenitude  of  His  graces  came  upon  them.  Then 
they  were  confirmed,  strengthened  in  their  faith 
and  feared  not  to  face  the  enemies  of  Christ  and 
to  preach  the  gospel  of  salvation. 

"Now  when  the  Apostles,  who  were  in  Jeru- 
salem, had  heard  that  Samaria  'had  received  the 
word  of  God,  they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and 
John.  Who,  when  they  were  come,  prayed  for 
them,  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost. 
For  He  was  not  as  yet  come  upon  any  of  them; 
but  they  were  only  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Then  they  laid  their  hands  upon  them, 
and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost."  Acts  8;14- 
17.  In  Ephesus  St.  Paul  administered  Confir- 
mation. "And  when  Paul  had  imposed  his  hands 
on  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  them."  Acts 
19;  6. 

St.  Jerome  (d.  420) :  "I  do  not  deny  that  it  is 
the  custom  of  the  churches,  for  the  bishop  to 
journey  to  those  who  have  been  baptized  by 
priests  and  deacons,  at  a  distance  from  the  great- 
er cities,  to  impose  hands  upon  them  to  invoke 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Dialogue  against  the  Lucife- 
rians,    No.   9. 

St.   Isidore    of   Pelusium    (died     about    440) : 
"Philip    did   indeed   baptize    those    who   had    be- 

61 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


come  disciples  at  Samaria,  but  the  Apostles  Peter 
and  John,  having  come  unto  them  from  Jerusa- 
lem, delivered  unto  them  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Whereas  he  but  baptized  as  a  disciple, 
whilst  the  Apostles,  upon  whom  the  authority  to 
give  it  had  been  conferred,  complete  the  grace.''  Bk. 
1.  Letter  350,  P.  114. 

St.  Innocent  I.,  Pope  (d.  417):  "That  this 
highpriestly  office  namely  that  they  may  seal,  or 
deliver  the  Spirit,  the  Paraclete,  belongs  to  the 
bishops,  is  demonstrated  not  only  by  ecclesiastical 
usage,  but  also  by  that  passage  ot  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles,  wherein  it  is  declared,  that  Peter 
and  John  were  sent  to  confer  the  Holy  Ghost 
upon  those  that  had  already  been  baptized."  Let- 
ter 25th,  Chap.  3,  No.  6. 

III.  The  Holy  Eucharist. 

The  Holy  Eucharist  is  the  true  Body  and 
Blood  of  Jesus  Christ  under  the  appearances  of 
bread  and  wine  for  the  nourishment  of  our  souls. 

The  day  after  the  multiplication  of  loaves, 
Jesus  spoke  to  the  multitude  in  the  synagogue  at 
Capharnaum :  "The  bread  that  I  will  give,  is 
my  flesh,  for  the  life  of  the  world.  The  Jews 
therefore  strove  among  themselves,  saying:  How 
can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat?  Then  Jesus 
said  to  them:  Amen,  amen  I  say  unto  you:  Ex- 
cept you  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and 
drink    his  blood,  you    shall    not  have  life    in  you. 

62 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


He  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my 
blood,  hath  everlasting  life;  and  I  will  raise  him 
UP  in  the  last  day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed: 
and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  that  eateth 
my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  abideth  in  me, 
and  I  in  him.  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent 
me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father;  so  he  that  eateth 
me,  the  same  also  shall  live  by  me."  John  6; 
52-58. 

"And  whilst  they  were  at  supper,  Jesus  took 
bread,  and  blessed,  and  broke ;  and  gave  to  his 
disciples,  and  said:  Take  ye,  and  eat.  This  is 
my  body.  And  taking  the  chalice,  he  gave  thanks, 
and  gave  to  them,  saying:  Drink  ye  all  of  this. 
For  this  is  my  blood  of  the  new  testament,  which 
shall  be  shed  for  many  unto  remission  of  sins." 
St.  Matth.  26;26-28.  "And  taking  bread,  he  gave 
thanks  and  brake;  and  gave  to  them,  saying: 
This  is  my  body,  which  is  given  for  you.  Do 
this  for  a  commemoration  of  me.  In  like  man- 
ner the  chalice  also,  after  he  had  supped,  saying: 
This  is  the  chalice,  the  new  testament  in  my 
biood,  which  shall  be  shed  for  you."  St.  Luke 
22;19,  20. 

The  Apostles  did  what  they  were  command- 
ed to  do:  change  bread  and  wine  into  the  body 
and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  in  commemoration  of 
Him.  St.  Paul  asks  the  following  question: 
"The  chalice  of  benediction,  which  we  bless,  is 
it    not  the    communion    of  the  blood    of  Christ? 

63 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


And  the  bread,  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the 
partaking  of  the  body  of  the  Lord?"     1  Cor.  10;  16. 

St.  Ignatius  (died  about  107) :  "I  desire 
God's  bread,  heavenly  bread, .  the  bread  of  life, 
which  is  the  flesh  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  who  has  been  of  the  seed  of  David  and 
Abraham :  and  as  drink  I  desire  His  blood,  which 
is  love  incorruptible  and  life  everlasting."  Letter 
to  the  Romans,  N  o.  7.  "Strive,  therefore,  to  par- 
take of  one  Eucharist;  for  one  is  the  flesh  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  one  is  the  chalice,  unto 
the  union  with  His  blood."     Philadelphians,  4. 

Tertullian  (died  about  240)  :  "The  body 
feeds  upon  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  that  the 
soul  also  may  be  nurtured  of  God."  On  the 
Resurrection  of  the  Body,  Chap.  8. 

St.  Cyprian,  Bishop  of  Carthage,  (died  258)  : 
"A  harder  and  fiercer  battle  is  at  hand,  for  which 
Christfs  soldiers  must  prepare  themselves  by 
faith  untainted  and  resolute  courage;  bearing  in 
mind  that  therefore  do  they  daily  drink  the  chal- 
ice of  the  blood  of  Christ,  that  they  themselves, 
too,  may  be  able  to  pour  forth  their  blood  for 
Christ."     Letter  56th  to  the  Thibaritans,  No.   1. 

St.  Hilary  (died  366) :  "For  what  we  say 
concerning  the  natural  verity  (very  nature)  of 
Christ  in  us,  we  say  foolishly  and  impiously  un- 
less we  have  learned  it  from  Him.  For  He  him- 
self says,  My  flesh  is  truly  meat,  and  my  blood 
is    truly    drink.      He    that    eateth    my    flesh    and 

64 


THE  SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


drinketh  my  blood  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him. 
There  is  no  room  left  for  doubting  the  verity  of 
the  flesh  and  blood.  For  now  it  is  truly  flesh, 
and  it  is  truly  blood;  both  according  to  the  de- 
claration of  the  Lord  himself,  and  according  to  our 
faith;   and  these   being   rcc<  ad    drunk,   effect 

this,  that  both  we  are  in  Christ,  and  Christ  is  in 
us."     On  the  Trinity,  Bk.  8,   Chap.   14. 

St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem  (d.  386)  :  "In  the  fig- 
ure of  bread  is  given  to  thee  the  Body  and  in  the 
figure  of  wine  the  Blood,  so  that  when  thou  re- 
ceivest  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  thou  may- 
est  become  of  one  body  and  one  blood  with  Him; 
for  thus  we  shall  become  Christbearcrs,  when  His 
Body  and  His  Blood  are  distributed  in  our  mem- 
bers." "What  appears  to  be  bread  is 
not  bread,  although  it  seems  thus  to 
taste,  but  it  is  the  Body  of  Christ,  and  what  ap- 
pears to  be  wine,  is  not  wine,  although  the  taste 
judgeth  thus,  but  it  is  the  Blood  of  Christ."  Cate- 
chesis  22;  9. 

St.  Basil  (d.  379):  "With  what  fear, 
with  what  conviction,  with  what  disposition, 
should  we  partake  of  the  Body  and  Blood 
of  Christ?  The  fear  is  taught  us  by  the 
Apostle,  when  he  says:  He  that  eateth  and 
drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  judg- 
ment to  himself.  The  faith  in  the  words  of  the 
Lord  produce  full  conviction,  seeing  that  He  says, 
This  is  my  Body  which  is  given  for  you.    Do  this 

65 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


for  a  commemoration  of  me;  as  also  the  faith  in 
the  testimony  of  John,  who,  having  first  declared 
the  glory  of  the  Word,  then  introduced  the  man- 
ner of  His  incarnation,  saying,  that  The  Word 
was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  amongst  us,  and  we 
saw  His  glory,  etc ;  and  the  faith  also  in  the  words 
of  the  Apostle,  writing:  Who  being  in  the  form 
of  God,  etc.  When,  therefore,  the  soul  putting 
faith  in  these  and  similar  important  words,  has 
learned  the  greatness  of  His  glory,  and  marvelled 
at  the  excess  of  His  humility  and  obedience, 
that  one  so  great  obeyed  the  Father  even  unto 
death,  for  the  sake  of  our  life ;  I  am  of  opinion 
that  the  soul's  affections  will  be  aroused  to  love 
both  God  the  Father,  who  spared  not  His  own 
Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for  us  all,  and  also 
His  only  begotten  Son,  who  became  obedient  even 
unto  death  for  our  redemption  and  salvation; 
such  a  disposition  and  preparation  ought  he  to 
have  who  partakes  of  the  Bread  and  the  Cup." 
From  his  Rules,  Briefly  Discussed.  Question  172. 
St.  Ambrose,  Bishop  of  Milan  (d.  397) :  "Per- 
haps thou  wilt  say,  'I  see  a  different  thing:  how 
is  it  that  you  assert  that  I  shall  receive  the  Body 
of  Christ?'  It  yet  remains  to  prove  this  also. 
How  many  examples  shall  we  use?  Let  us  prove 
that  this  is  not  what  nature  formed,  but  what  the 
benediction  has  consecrated ;  and  that  the  force 
of  the  benediction  is  greater  than  the  force  of 
nature,  because,  by    the  blessing,  even    nature  it* 

66 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


self  is  changed. "     On  the  Mysteries,   Chap.  9. 

St.  Chrysostom,  Patriarch  of  Constantinople 
(d.  407)  :  "Reflect,  O  man,  what  a  sacrifice  thou 
art  about  to  touch;  what  a  table  thou  art  about 
to  approach ;  consider,  that — though  dust  and 
ashes — thou  receivest  Christ's  Body  and  Blood. 
What  the  Lord  did  not  tolerate  on  the  cross,  He 
tolerates  now  in  the  sacrifice  through  love  of  thee; 
He  permits  himself  to  be  broken  in  pieces  that 
all  may  be  filled  to  satiety."  Homily  24th  on  1. 
Cor.,  No.  2. 

"Believe  that  there  takes  place  now  the  same 
banquet  as  that  in  which  Christ  sat  at  table  and 
that  this  banquet  is  in  no  way  different  from  that. 
For  it  is  not  true  that  this  banquet  is  prepared 
by  a  man,  while  that  was  prepared  by  Himself, 
but  both  this  banquet  and  that  one  are  prepared 
by  Himself."     Homily  50  on  Matth.   No.  3. 

"Today,  as  then,  it  is  the  Lord,  who  work- 
eth  and  offereth  all."  Horn.  27th  on  1  Cor.,  No.  4. 
"We  assume  the  role  of  servants;  it  is  He  who 
consecrates  and  transmutes."  Horn.  82  on  Matth., 
No.  5.  "It  is  not  man  who  causes  what  is  pres- 
ent to  become  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  but 
Christ  Himself  who  was  crucified  for  us.  The 
priest  is  the  representative  when  he  pronounces 
those  words ;  but  the  power  and  the  grace  are 
those  of  the  Lord.  He  says:  This  is  my  Body. 
This  word  changes  the  things  that  lie  before  us." 
Homily  1.  on  the  Betrayal  of  Judas,  No.  6. 

67 


THE   CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


St.  Nilus  (died  about  430)  :  "Indeed,  before 
the  prayer  of  the  priest  and  the  descent  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  things  that  lie  to  open  view  are 
plain  bread  and  common  wine;  but  after  these 
awful  invocations  and  the  advent  of  the  adorable 
and  vivifying  and  good  Spirit,  the  things  that  lie 
upon  the  holy  table  are  no  longer  plain  bread  and 
common  wine,  but  the  precious  and  immaculate 
Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  the  God  of  all,  which 
(Body  and  Blood)  purify  from  every  defilement 
those  who  partake  thereof  with  much  fear  and 
eagerness.5'     Letters,    1  Book. 

Theodoret  Bishop  of  Cyrus  (d.  458):  "For 
no  man  ever  hateth  his  own  flesh,  but  nourisheth 
and  cherisheth  it,  as  Christ  does  the  Church, 
nourishing  and  cherishing  it,  and  giving  it  His 
own  Body  and  Blood.  Because  we  are  members 
of  His  Body.  For  as  Eve  was  formed  out  of 
Adam,  so  are  we  out  of  Christ  the  Lord:  for  we 
are  buried  with  Him  in  baptism,  and  we  rise  to- 
gether with  Him ;  and  we  eat  His  Body,  and  we 
drink  His  Blood."  Commentary  on  Epistle  to 
Ephesians. 

IV.  Penance. 

Through  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  the  sins 
committed  after  baptism  are  forgiven.  The 
repentant  Christian  confesses  his  sins  sincerely 
to  a    duly  authorized   priest,    who  hears  the    sins, 

68 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


gives  an  admonition  and,  if  he  considers  the  pen- 
itent rightly  disposed  (i.  e.,  contrite  and  deter- 
mined to  avoid  the  sin  in  future  and  to  make 
satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  injustice),  gives  ab- 
solution. The  priest  absolves  in  the  place  of  God, 
whose  representative  he  is.  The  power  to  ab- 
solve from  sins  and  the  right  to  refuse  absolu- 
tion, Jesus  Christ  gave  to  His  Apostles  and  their 
rightful  successors.  Duly  authorized  Priests  have 
this   double  power. 

"Now  when  it  was  late  that  same  day,  the 
first  of  the  week,  and  the  doors  were  shut,  where 
the  disciples  were  gathered  together,  for  fear  of 
the  Jews,  Jesus  came  and  stood  in  the  midst, 
and  said  to  them :  Peace  be  to  you.  And  when 
he  had  said  this,  he  shewed  them  his  hands 
and  his  side.  The  disciples  therefore  were  glad, 
when  they  saw  the  Lord.  He  said  therefore  to 
them  again :  Peace  be  to  you.  As  the  Father 
hath  sent  me,  I  also  send  you.  When  he  had  said 
this,  he  breathed  on  them ;  and  he  said  to  them : 
Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whose  sins  you 
shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  them;  and  whose 
sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  retained."  St.  John 
20;  19-23.  The  power  of  the  Apostles  to  forgive 
and  to  retain  sins  is  still  within  the  Church. 

St.  Ephraem  (died  373)  :    "The  exalted  dignity 
of  the   priesthood   is   far   above  our  understanding 
and  the  power  of  speech.     Consider  that  remission 
of  sins  is   not  given  to   mortals  without  the  ven- 

69 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


erable  priesthood."  Sermon  on  the  Priesthood, 
No.   3. 

St.  Ambrose:  "God  makes  no  distinction;  he 
promised  His  mercy  to  all;  and  granted  to  His 
priests  permission  to  loose  without  exception." 
On  Penitence,  Bk.  1,  Chap.  3.  "If  it  be  not  law- 
ful that  sins  be  forgiven  by  man,  why  do  you 
baptize?  For  assuredly  in  baptism  there  is  remis- 
sion of  all  sins."  On  Penit.,  Bk.  1,  Chap.  8.  "It 
seems  impossible  that  water  should  wash  away 
sin;  furthermore,  Naaman,  the  Syrian,  believed 
not  that  his  leprosy  could  be  cured  by  water. 
But  God,  who  has  given  us  so  great  a  grace,  ren- 
dered possible  the  impossible.  In  the  same  man- 
ner it  seemed  impossible  that  sins  should  be  for- 
given by  penitence;  Christ  granted  this  to  His 
Apostles,  which  from  the  Apostles  has  been 
transmitted  to  the  offices  of  the  priests."  On 
Penitence  Bk.  2,  Chap.  2. 

St.  Chrysostom:  "Men  that  dwell  on  earth, 
and  have  their  abode  therein,  have  had  committed 
to  them  the  dispensation  of  the  things  that  are  in 
heaven,  and  have  received  the  power  which  God 
has  not  given  either  to  angels  or  to  archangels; 
for  not  to  these  Was  it  said,  Whatsoever  you 
shall  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  also  in  heav- 
en; and  whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon  earth, 
shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven.  They  that  rule 
on  earth  have  indeed  power  to  bind,  but  the  body 
only;    whereas    this    bond  touches    the    very    soul 

70 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


itself,  and  reaches  even  unto  heaven;  and  what- 
soever the  priests  do  here  below,  the  same  does 
God  ratify  above,  and  the  Lord  confirms  the  sen- 
tence of  His  servants.  And  what  else  is  this, 
but  that  He  has  given  them  all  heavenly  power? 
For,  saith  Pie,  Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they 
are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain,  they 
are  retained."  On  the  Priesthood,  Book  3d,  No.  5. 
St.  Peter  Chrysologus  (died  about  450) : 
"Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  etc.  He  gave  the 
power  of  forgiving  sins;  He  by  His  own  breath 
infused  into  their  hearts,  and  bestowed  on  them 
the  very  forgiver  of  sins  Himself.  When  He  said 
this,  he  breathed  on  them,  saying,  Receive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost,  etc.  Where  are  those  who  deny 
that  sins  can  be  forgiven  men  by  men?  Who  com- 
pletely crush  the  fallen,  that  they  may  not  arise; 
who,  with  a  cruel  spirit,  withdraw  the  remedy 
from  the  sickness  and  withhold  the  medicine  from 
the  wounds?  Who  impiously  insult  sinners  with 
the  despair  of  a  return?  Peter  forgives  sins,  and 
receives  the  penitent  with  all  joy,  and  avails 
himself  of  this  power  which  God  has  granted  to 
all  priests."    Sermon  84. 

V.   Extreme  Unction. 

With  holy  oil  consecrated  by  the  bishop> 
the  priest  anoints  the  sick  Christian  in  the  form 
of  a  cross  on  the  five  senses :  eyes,  ears,  nose, 
mouth,   hands    and    feet.     In  case  of   urgent  need,. 

71 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


the  dying  Christian  is  anointed  under  one  form; 
the  priest  anoints  the  forehead  of  the  dying. 

St.  James,  one  of  the  twelve  Apostles,  writes : 
^'Is  any  man  sick  among  you?  Let  him  bring 
in  the  priests  of  the  Church,  and  let  them  pray 
over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  And  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the 
sick  man:  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up:  and 
if  he  be  in  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him.''  St. 
James  5;    14,  15. 

St.  Caesarius,  Archbishop  of  Aries  (died  543), 
to  whom  the  best  critics  attribute  many  of  the 
Pseudo-Augustinian  Sermons,  writes:  "As  often 
as  any  infirmity  supervenes,  let  him  who  is  sick 
receive  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ;  and  then 
anoint  his  body,  that  that  which  is  written  may 
be  accomplished  in  him;  Is  any  one  sick?  Let 
him  bring  in  the  priests,  and  let  them  pray  over 
him  anointing  him  with  oil,  etc.  See,  brethren, 
that  he,  who  in  sickness  has  recourse  to  the 
Church,  shall  deserve  to  obtain  both  health  of 
body  and  pardon  of  sins."  Sermon  265,  No.  3 
(in  Appendice  St.  Augustini). 

St.  Innocent:  "You  have  set  down  what  is 
written  in  the  Epistle  of  the  blessed  Apostle 
James,  Is  any  one  sick  among  you?  Let  him  call 
the  priests,  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anoint- 
ing him  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick  man,  and 
the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up,  and  if  he  has   com- 

72 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


mitted  sin,  he  shall  pardon  him.  This,  without 
doubt,  ought  to  be  understood,  of  the  faithful 
who  are  sick,  who  can  be  anointed  with 
the  holy  oil  of  chrism,  which,  having  been  pre- 
pared by  the  bishop,  may  be  used  not  only  for 
priests,  but  for  all  Christians,  for  anointing  in 
their  own  need  or  in  that  of  their  relations." 
Letter  25th,  Chap.  8,  No.  11. 

VI.  Holy  Orders. 

The  priesthood  is  preceded  by  four  minor  and 
two  major  Orders.  Every  priest  has  received  seven 
orders.  The  Sacrament  of  Holy  Orders  is  as  old 
as   the   Church. 

"And  Jesus  coming,  spoke  to  them  saying: 
All  power  is  given  to  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
Going  therefore,  teach  ye  all  nations;  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Teaching  them  to  ob- 
serve all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you."  St.  Matth.  28;  18-20.  "Do  this  for  a  com- 
memoration of  me."  St.  Luke  22;  19.  "Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whose  sins  you  shall  for- 
give, they  are  forgiven  them ;  and  whose  sins  you 
shall  retain,  they  are  retained."  St.  John  20; 
22,  23. 

"And  they  chose  Stephen,  a  man  full  of 
faith,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Philip,  and 
Prochorus,    and   Nicanor,    and    Timon,    and   Par- 

73 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


menas,  and  Nicolas,  a  proselyte  of  Antioch. 
These  they  set  before  the  Apostles ;  and  they  pray- 
ing, imposed  hands  upon  them."     Acts  6;  5,  6. 

Origen:  "Dost  thou  think  that  they  who 
exercise  the  ministry  and  glory  in  the  order  of 
the  priesthood,  walk  according  to  their  order  and 
do  all  things  which  beseem  that  order?  In  like 
manner,  deacons,  do  they  walk  according  to  the  order 
of  their  ministry?  Whence  then  is  it  that  we  often 
hear  men  blaspheme,  and  say,  'See  what  a  bishop/ 
or,  'What  a  presbyter,'  or,  'What  a  deacon?'  Is 
not  this  said,  when  either  a  priest  or  a  minister 
of  God,  has  dared  to  proceed  in  anywise  contrary 
to  the  sacerdotal  or  Levitical  order?"  Homily  2 
on  Numbers. 

The  so-called  Apostolic  Constitutions,  com- 
piled about  the  year  400:  "The  bishop  gives  a 
blessing  and  does  not  receive  it;  he  imposes 
hands,  ordains,  and  offers  sacrifice,  he  receives 
-a  blessing  from  the  bishops,  but  never  from 
priests.  The  bishop  deposes  every  cleric  that 
deserves  deposition,  except  a  bishop,  for  this  he 
cannot  do  alone.  The  presbyter  (priest)  gives  a 
blessing,  and  does  not  receive  it:  he  receives  a 
blessing  from  the  bishop  and  from  a  fellow-priest, 
in  like  manner  he  blesses  his  fellow-priest;  he 
imposes  hands,  but  does  not  ordain;  he  deposes 
no  one,  but  excommunicates  those  under  him,  if 
they  deserve  this  punishment.  The  deacon  does 
not  give  a  blessing,  but  receives  it  from  the  bishop 

74 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


and  the  presbyter;  he  baptizes  not,  he  offers  not; 
but  when  the  bishop  or  the  presbyter  offer,  he 
distributes  (communion)  to  the  people,  not  indeed 
as  a  priest,  but  as  minister  of  the  priest. '*  Book 
8;   Chap.  28. 

St.  Chrysostom:  "And  they  praying  imposed 
hands  upon  them.  From  this  it  is  evident  that 
they  separated  from  the  multitude;  and  they  bring 
them,  the  Apostles  do  not  lead  them.  Observe 
how  the  writer  avoids  redundancy;  for  he  does 
not  say  how  they  were  ordained,  but  simply  that 
they  were  ordained  by  prayer.  Because  this  is 
the  ordination.  The  hand  is  imposed  upon  a 
man,  but  God  works  all,  and  it  is  His  hand  that 
touches  the  head  of  him  that  is  ordained,  if  he 
be  ordained  in  a  manner  he  ought  to  be."  Com- 
mentary on  Acts,  Homily   14,  No.  3. 

St.  Augustine:  "When  it  is  judged  expe- 
dient for  the  Church,  that  such  prelates  on  return- 
ing to  the  Catholic  fellowship,  should  not  exer- 
cise therein  their  honors,  the  sacraments  them- 
selves of  ordination  are  not  taken  away  from 
them,  but  remain  with  them."  Against  the  Letter 
of  Parmenianus,  Book  2,  Chap.  13,  No.  28. 

VII.   Matrimony. 

Speaking  of  matrimony  St.  Paul  writes :  "This 
is  a  great  sacrament;  but  I  speak  in  Christ  and 
in  the  Church."     Eph.  5 ;  32. 

St.   Epiphanius,  Bishop  of  Salamis  (died  403)  : 

75 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


"The  same  holy,  Catholic,  and  apostolic  Church 
has  been  wont  to  save  also  those  who  are  in 
venerable  wedlock. .  .Honorable  therefore  is  mar- 
riage, seeing  that  He  himself  established  it." 
Heresies,  Bk.  1,  P.  410. 

St.  Augustine:  "Matrimony  possesses  a 
threefold  good:  fidelity,  offspring,  and  the  sacra- 
ment. Concerning  fidelity  it  is  required,  that 
-neither  of  the  parties  act  in  violation  of  the  mar- 
riage ties ;  concerning  the  offspring,  that  it  be 
received  with  love,  nurtured  with  kindness,  and 
educated  piously;  and  concerning  the  sacrament, 
that  the  wedlock  be  not  dissolved,  and  that  nei- 
ther, if  divorced,  be  united  to  another."  On  Gene- 
sis, According  to  the  Letter,  Bk.  9,  Chap.  7,  No.  12. 
"Throughout  all  nations  and  men,  the  excellence 
of  wedlock  is  in  the  procreation  of  children  and 
in  the  faithfulness  of  chastity:  but  as  regards  the 
•people  of  God,  it  is  also  in  the  holiness  of  the 
sacrament,  through  which  holiness  it  is  a  crime, 
even  for  the  party  that  is  divorced,  to  marry  an- 
other, whilst  the  husband  lives."  De  Bono  Con- 
jugali,  No.  32. 

"What,  therefore,  God  hath  joined  together, 
let  no  man  put  asunder.  Those  that  are  well  in- 
structed in  the  Catholic  Faith  know  that  God  hath 
made  marriage  and  that  just  as  the  union  is  from 
God,  so  divorce  is  from  the  devil.  And  for  this 
reason,  therefore,  did  the  Lord  being  invited  come 
to  the  wedding  feast  that  He  might  confirm  con- 

76 


THE   SEVEN  SACRAMENTS 


jugal  chastity  and    show    forth    the    Sacrament  of 
Matrimony."    Tracts  on  St.  John ;  Tract  9,  2. 

St.  Maximus,  Bishop  of  Turin  (died  about 
465) :  "The  Son  of  God  goes  to  the  wedding 
feast  that  He  may  sanctify  by  the  blessing  of 
His  presence  what  He  had  long  before  instituted 
by  His  power."     Homily  23     (On  Epiphany  7). 


77 


THE  HOLY    SACRIFICE    OF  THE  MASS. 

Malachias,  the  last  of  the  prophets,  in  the 
fifth  century  before  Christ,  delivered  this  mes- 
sage to  the  chosen  people :  "The  son  honoreth 
the  father,  and  the  servant  his  master:  if  then 
I  be  a  father,  where  is  my  honor?  And  if  I  be 
a  master,  where  is  my  fear?  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts.  To  you,  O  priests,  that  despise  my  name, 
and  have  said:  Wherein  have  we  despised  thy 
name?  You  offer  polluted  bread  upon  my  altar, 
and  you  say:  Wherein  have  we  polluted  thee? 
In  that  you  say:  The  table  of  the  Lord  is  con- 
temptible. If  you  offer  the  blind  for  sacrifice, 
is  it  not  evil?  and  if  you  offer  the  lame  and  the 
sick,  is  it  not  evil?  offer  ft  to  thy  prince,  if  he  will 
be  pleased  with  it,  or  if  he  will  regard  thy  face, 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  And  now  beseech  ye 
the  face  of  God,  that  he  may  have  mercy  on  you, 
(for  by  your  hand  hath  this  been  done,)  if  by 
any  means  he  will  receive  your  faces,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts.  Who  is  there  among  you,  that  will 
shut  the  doors  and  will  kindle  the  fire  on  my  altar 
gratis?  I  have  no  pleasure  in  you,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts;  and  I  will  not  receive  a  gift  of  your  hand. 
For  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  to  the  going 
down,  my  name  is  great  among  the  Gentiles,  and  in 
every  place  there  is  sacrifice,  and  there  is  offered 
to  my    name  a    clean    oblation:    for     my  name    is 

78 


THE  HOLY    SACRIFICE    OF  THE    MASS 

great  among  the  Gentiles,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts." 
Mai.  1;  6-11. 

In  these  words  God  announced  through  His 
prophet  that  the  priesthood  and  the  sacrifices  of 
the  Jews  would  be  abolished,  that  He  would  not 
receive  a  gift  of  their  hands,  and  that  a  new 
sacrifice  would  be  offered  in  every  place  among 
all  nations,  from  the  east  to  the  west,  from  the 
rising  of  the  sun  even  to  the  going  down,  and 
that  He  will  be  pleased  with  this  new  sacrifice, 
the  clean  oblation.  This  sacrifice  will  not  be 
confined  to  Juda's  capital,  nor  the  priesthood  to 
the  descendants  of  Aaron  and  Levi.  His  sacri- 
fice as  well  as  His  priests  will  be  among  all  na- 
tions, and  on  account  of  this  His  name  is  great 
among  the  Gentiles. 

In  vain  do  you  look  for  the  fulfillment  of  this 
prophecy,  unless  you  turn  your  attention  to  the 
holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  The  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  is  the  unbloody  renewal  of  the  bloody  sac- 
rifice of  Calvary.  Under  the  appearance  of  bread 
and  wine  Jesus  Christ  offers  himself  for  us  to 
His  heavenly  Father.  The  first  holy  Mass,  how- 
ever, preceded  the  bloody  sacrifice  of  Calvary. 
Jesus  Christ  celebrated  the  first  Mass  at  the 
Last  Supper.  The  words  of  consecration  which 
He  made  use  of  are  still  used  by  His  priests. 
"Jesus  took  bread,  and  blessed,  and  broke:  and 
gave  to  his  disciples,  and  said :  Take  ye,  and 
eat.     This    is   my  body.      And    taking  the   chalice, 

79 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


he  gave  thanks,  and  gave  to  them,  saying:  Drink 
ye  all  of  this.  For  this  is  my  blood  of  the  New 
Testament,  which  shall  be  shed  for  many  unto 
remission  of  sins."     St.  Matth.  26;  26-28. 

TEat  the  Apostles  made  use  of  the  power 
conferred  upon  them,  that  they  said  Mass,  may 
be  seen  from  the  first  letter  of  St.  Paul  to  the 
Corinthians,  where  he  writes :  "The  chalice  of 
benediction,  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  com- 
munion of  the  blood  of  Christ?  And  the  bread, 
which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  partaking  of  the 
body  of  the  Lord?"  1  Cor.  10;  16.  The  chalice 
containing  the  blood  of  Christ  is  blessed  in  Mass, 
and  the  species  of  bread  is  broken  at  Communion, 
the  partaking  of  the  body  of  the  Lord. 

For  a  sacrifice  an  altar  is  needed.  St.  Paul 
writes :  "We  have  an  altar,  whereof  they  have 
no  power  to  eat  who  serve  the  tabernacle."  Heb. 
13;  10.  The  meaning  of  this  sentence  is: 
those  who  serve  the  tabernacle,  i.  e.,  who  adhere 
to  the  Jewish  rite,  have  no  right  to  partake  of 
the   sacrifice  of  the  New   Law. 

The  Didache  (meaning  Doctrine  or  Teaching) 
is  probably  the  oldest  non-biblical  writing  of  the 
Christian  age.  The  unpretentious  little  treatise 
is  certainly  one  of  the  most  precious  gems  of 
ecclesiastical  literature.  It  may  be  styled  a 
Church  Ritual;  and,  according  to  the  best  critics, 
it  was  written  before  the  close  of  the  first  cen- 
tury most  likely  in    Syria    or    Palestine.      In    the 

80 


THE  HOLY   SACRIFICE    OF   THE    MASS 

14th  chapter  the  author  speaks  of  the  Holy  Sac- 
rifice: "But  on  the  day  of  the  Lord  assemble  and 
break  the  Bread  and  give  thanks, — after  having 
confessed  your  faults,  that  your  sacrifice  may  be 
a  clean  one.  But  let  no  one  who  has  fallen  out 
with  his  brother  assemble  with  you  before  they 
are  reconciled,  that  your  sacrifice  may  not  be 
desecrated;  for  this  is  the  sacrifice  of  which  the 
Lord  has  spoken :  In  every  place  and  at  all 
times  shall  a  clean  oblation  be  offered  to  me;  for 
I  am  a  great  king,  saith  the  Lord,  and  my  name 
is  wonderful  amongst  the  Gentiles." 

St.  Clement  (died  about  100)  :  "They,  there- 
fore, that  make  their  oblations  at  the  appointed 
times,    are  perfect  and  I  .  for  those    that    fol- 

low  the   ordii  of   the    Lord,  do   not  err."      1 

Letter   to  the  Corinthians,  No.  40. 

St.  Ignatius:  "Let  no  man  deceive  himself; 
unless  a  man  be  within  the  altar  he  stands  de- 
prived of  the  Bread  of  God."  Letter  to  the 
Ephesians,  No.  5. 

St.  Justin:  "The  oblation  of  wheaten  flour, 
prescribed  to  be  offered  for  those  who  were  puri- 
fied from  leprosy,  was  a  type  of  the  bread  of  the 
Eucharist  which  our  Lord  Jesus  commanded  us 
to  be  offered  as  a  commemoration  of  the  passion 
which  He  endured  for  those  who  are  purified 
from  all  iniquity,  that  we  at  the  same  time  may 
give  thanks  to  God,  both  for  having  made  the 
world    and  all    things    in  it  for    the  sake    of    man, 

81 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


and  for  having  delivered  us  from  the  wickedness 
in  which  we  were;  and  for  having  overthrown 
principalities  and  powers,  through  Him,  who,  by 
the  will  of  His  Father,  was  made  subject  to  suf- 
fering. Whence,  God,  as  I  said  before,  by  Mala- 
chias,  one  of  the  twelve  (minor  prophets)  de- 
clares of  the  sacrifices  then  offered  by  you:  My 
will  is  not  in  you,  saith  the  Lord;  and  I  will  not 
receive  sacrifices  from  your  hands :  for,  from  the 
rising  of  the  sun,  even  to  the  going  down,  my 
name  hath  been  glorified  among  the  Gentiles,  and 
in  every  place  incense  is  offered  to  my  name, 
and  a  clean  host,  because  my  name  is  great 
among  the  Gentiles,  saith  the  Lord.  Even  then 
does  He  foretell  concerning  the  sacrifices  offered 
unto  Him,  in  every  place  by  us  Gentiles;  that 
is  of  the  Bread  of  the  Eucharist  and  of  the  Cup 
in  like  manner  of  the  Eucharist."  Dialogue  with 
the  Jew  Trypho,  No.  41. 

St.  Irenaeus:  "He  took  bread,  which  comes 
by  creation  and  gave  thanks,  saying:  This  is 
my  body.  And  in  like  manner  He  confessed  the 
cup,  which  is  of  this  creation  of  ours,  to  be  His 
own  blood,  and  taught  the  new  oblation  of  the 
New  Testament,  which  (oblation)  the  Church, 
having  received  it  from  the  Apostles,  offers  to 
God  throughout  the  whole  world,  to  Him  who 
grants  unto  us  sustenance, — the  first  fruits  of  His 
own  gifts  in  the  New  Testament,  respecting  which 
Malachias  one    of  the   twelve   prophets,    thus    pre- 

82 


THE  HOLY    SACRIFICE    OF   THE    MASS 

dieted :  I  have  no  pleasure  in  you  etc."  Against 
Heresies,  Book  4,  Chap.  17,  No.    5. 

Tertullian:  "We  make  oblations  for  the  dead 
on  their  anniversaries  instead  of  their  birthdays." 
On  the  Crown,  No.  3. 

St.  Cyprian  of  Carthage  in  Africa  (d.  258)  : 
"If  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  and  our  God  is  Him- 
self the  Highpriest  of  God  the  Father,  and  offers 
Himself  as  a  sacrifice  to  the  Father,  and  command- 
ed this  to  be  done  unto  a  commemoration  of  Him, 
then  truly  does  that  priest  perform  the  functions 
of  Christ  who  imitates  what  Christ  did,  and  offers 
a  true  and  full  sacrifice  to  God  in  the  Church." 
63d  Letter,  No.  14. 

St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem  (386) :  "After  the 
completion  of  the  spiritual  sacrifice  of  the  Mass, 
after  the  completion  of  the  unbloody  worship,  we 
pray  to  God  over  the  oblation  of  propitiation  for 
the  general  peace  of  the  churches.  We  all  pray 
and  offer  this  sacrifice  for  every  one  who  is  in 
need  of  help.  We  remember  those  who  have  al- 
ready gone  before  us,  first  the  Patriarchs,  the 
Prophets,  the  Apostles  and  the  Martyrs,  so  that 
through  their  prayers  and  intercession  God  may 
look  graciously  upon  our  petitions;  thereupon  we 
pray  for  the  deceased  Holy  Fathers  and  Bishops, 
and  indeed  for  all  our  departed,  since  we  believe 
that  our  prayers  offered  in  the  presence  of  this 
holy  and  worshipful  sacrifice  will  be  of  the  great- 
est   utility   to    these    souls.      We  offer    up    Christ 

83 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


slain  for  our  sins  to  obtain  pardon  from  the  good 
God  for  them  and  for  ourselves."  Catechesis 
23;  8-10. 

St.  Augustine:  "Some  communicate  daily  of 
the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  others  receive 
on  certain  days ;  elsewhere  no  day  passes  where- 
on the  oblation  is  not  made,  whilst  in  other  places 
on  the  Saturday  and  the  Sunday  only,  in  others 
on  the  Sunday  only."  54th  Letter  (to  Januarius), 
No.  2. 

Thus  we  can  adduce  an  abundance  of  testi- 
monies from  the  writings  of  different  Fathers  of 
all  nations  and  of  the  earliest  centuries,  that  the 
Catholic  Church,  which  encircles  the  globe,  offered 
even  then  unto  God  this  clean  oblation  in  every 
place,  from  the  east  to  the  west,  and  without 
intermission.  At  this  very  moment  the  sun  rises 
somewhere  in  the  world,  where  some  of  the  many 
million  Catholics  live,  and  where  the  priests 
ascend  the  Altar  to  offer  to  God  the  holy  Sacri- 
fice of  the  Mass.  The  prophecy  of  Malachias  is 
literally  fulfilled  in  the  Catholic  Church. 


84 


The    Blessed    Virgin  Mary,  the  Great  Mother    of 
God  and  Our  Dear  Mother. 

Four  thousand  years  before  "the  fullness  of 
time"  had  come,  God  announced  the  coming  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary.  Speaking  to  the  serpent 
that  had  seduced  Eve,  He  says :  "I  will  put 
enmities  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and  thy 
seed  and  her  seed:  she  shall  crush  thy  head,  and 
thou  shalt  lie  in  wait    for    her  heel."    Gen.  3;    15. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  almighty  God  and 
His  archangel  Gabriel  and  the  Catholic  Church 
have  paid  greater  honor  to  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  the  Mother  of  God,  than  to  any  other 
saint. 

Seven  hundred  years  before  her  coming,  God 
inspired  His  prophet  Isaias  to  deliver  this  message: 
'Behold  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a  son, 
and  his  name  shall  be  called  Emmanuel."  Is.  7; 
14.  God  exempted  her  from  the  stain  of  original 
sin.  The  Son  of  God  called  her  by  the  endearing 
title  of  mother.  The  Holy  Ghost  overshadowed 
her  and   filled  her  with  grace. 

Whenever  an  angel  appeared  to  announce 
some  divine  message,  he  inspired  the  listener  with 
awe  and  worded  his  sentences  in  an  authorita- 
tive form  as  a  superior  speaking  to  an  inferior. 
But  when  the  archangel  Gabriel  came  to  announce 

85 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


unto  Mary  that  God  had  chosen  her  to  be  His 
mother,  he  greeted  her  in  the  name  of  God,  praised 
her  sanctity,  her  relation  to  the  Lord,  and  her  sin- 
gular blessedness  among  women.  His  words 
clearly  indicate  that  he  considered  her  superior 
to  himself. 

Imitating  the  example  set  by  God  and  His 
archangel,  the  Catholic  Church  venerates  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary  in  a  special  manner.  As 
God  commanded  His  archangel  to  do,  so  every 
true  Catholic  does  repeatedly  during  the  day:  he 
greets  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary:  "Hail,  full  of 
grace,  the  Lord  is  with  thee:  blessed  art  thou 
among  women."  St.  Luke  1  ;28.  As  the  Son 
of  God  called  her  His  mother,  so  the  Catholic 
Church  calls  her  the  Mother  of  God.  As  the 
Holy  Ghost  overshadowed  her  and  filled  her  with 
grace,  so  the  Catholic  Church  exalts  her;  and 
with  great  solemnity  annually  celebrates  in  her 
honor  a  number  of  beautiful  feasts.  Who  can 
reasonably  blame  the  Church  for  honoring  her, 
whom  God  so  highly  honored?  What  Christian 
will  dare  to  rebuke  that  Christian  who  dearly 
loves  the  mother  of  Christ?  Who  can  find  any- 
thing objectionable  in  the  title  "Mother  of  God," 
if  he  believes  that  her  Son  is  God?  Why  should 
anybody  be  afraid  to  do  what  God  does?  what 
His  Church  always  did  and  still  does?  I,  for  one, 
feel  happy  that  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  is  really 
the   Mother   of   God;  and  gladly  do   I  confess    my 

86 


THE    BLESSED   VIRGIN   MARY 


heartfelt  love  for  her,  proclaiming  that  I  love 
the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  Mother  of  God, 
more  than  I  love  any  other  creature,  and  I  hope 
to  live  and  die  with  my  heart  aflame  with  love 
for  her,  whom  Jesus  called  His  dear  mother. 

"And  Mary  said :  My  soul  doth  magnify  the 
Lord.  And  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  Go.4  my 
Savior.  Because  he  hath  regarded  the  humility 
of  his  handmaid;  for  behold  from  henceforth  sil 
generations  shall  call  me  blessed.,,  St.  Luke  1 ; 
46-48. 

This  prophecy  which  she  uttered  in  the  pres- 
ence of  her  cousin  Elizabeth  is  literally  fulfilled; 
all  generations  call  her  blessed.  A  few  quotations 
culled  from  patristic  literature  may  help  to  con- 
vince my  readers  of  this  fact. 

St.  Irenaeus  (died  about  202) :  "As  Eve, 
through  the  discourse  of  a  fallen  angel,  was  se- 
duced so  as  to  flee  from  God,  acting  contrary  to 
His  word;  so  also  it  was  announced  to  Mary 
through  the  message  of  a  (good)  angel  that  she 
was  to  bear  God,  being  obedient  to  His  Word. 
And  as  Eve  disobeyed  God,  so  Mary  was  per- 
suaded to  obey  God,  that  the  virgin  Mary  might 
become  the  advocate  of  the  virgin  Eve.  And  as 
the  human  race  was  delivered  over  through  a 
virgin,  so  it  is  saved  through  a  virgin."  Against 
Heresies,  Bk.  5,  Chap.  19. 

Of  all  the  many  encomiums  on  the  Blessed 
Virgin    the  most    tender,  the    most  touching,    the 

87 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


most  exquisitely  beautiful  are  those  so  lavishly 
scattered  over  the  works  of  the  soulful  poet  of 
far  away  Syria,  St.  Ephraem,  who  flourished  to- 
ward the  end  of  the  fourth  century.  Here  is  one 
of  these  passages :  "Thou  and  Thy  Mother  are 
the  only  ones,  who  are  in  every  way  perfectly 
beautiful,  for  in  Thee,  O  Lord,  there  is  no  stain; 
no  stain  also  in  Thy  Mother."  From  "Songs  of 
Nisibis,"Xo.  27. 

St.  Gregory  of  Nazianzus  (died  about  390) : 
"Saying  this  and  still  more  (prayers  addressed 
to  God,  the  deliverer  from  all  dangers  and  evil), 
she,  (Juliana)  suppliantly  implores  the  Virgin 
Mary  to  aid  a  virgin  in  danger,  and  fortifies  her- 
self with  the  medicine  of  fasting  and  of  prostra- 
tion on  the  earth."  Sermon  on  St.  Cyprian  of 
Antioch,   No.    11. 

St.  Epiphanius  (d.  403)  :  "I  hear  that  some 
one  is  divising  some  folly  regarding  the  holy  and 
ever-virgin  Mary,  and  dares  to  speak  ill  of  her. . . 
Whence  this  wicked  temper?  Whence  this  great 
audacity?  Does  not  her  very  name  bear  witness 
against  and  convince  thee,  thou  contentious  man? 
Who  ever,  or  what  age  ever  presumed  to  utter 
the  name  of  Mary  the  holy  and,  when  asked,  has 
not  instantly  added  in  reply, —  'the  Virgin?'... 
And  to  holy  Mary  is  added  the  epithet,  'the  Vir- 
gin,' and  this  shall  never  be  altered.  For  she 
the  holy  ever  remained  spotless.  Does  not  nature 
itself  instruct  thee?     Oh  the  unheard  of  madness! 

88 


THE    BLESSED   VIRGIN   MARY 


oh  sad  novelty !..  .How  dare  they  attack  the 
spotless  Virgin ;  she  who  was  found  worthy  to 
be  the  dwelling  place  of  the  Son;  she  who  was, 
for  this  very  reason,  chosen  from  among  the 
thousands  of  Israel  to  be  the  vessel,  and  the 
alone  memorable  dwelling  place  of  the  (divine) 
birth...  From  that  Eve  the  whole  human  race  on 
earth  has  been  derived.  But,  truly,  from  Mary 
life  itself  was  born  into  this  world,  that  she  might 
bring  forth  Him  that  liveth,  and  become  the 
mother  of  the  living. .  .Whosoever  honors  the 
Lord,  honors  His  saint,  too;  and  whoso  puts  dis- 
honor on  a  saint,  puts  dishonor  on  his  own  Lord 
...Let  Mary  be  in  honor;  but  let  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  be  adored."  Panarion, 
or,  as  it  is  generally  quoted,  Heresies,  Bk.   1. 

St.  Ambrose  (d.  397) :  "Oh,  the  riches  of 
Mary's  virginity !  Like  a  cloud  she  rained  upon 
the  earth  the  grace  of  Christ;  for  concerning  her 
was  it  written:  "Behold  the  Lord  cometh  sitting 
upon  a  light  cloud,  truly  light,  she  who  knew  not 
the  burdens  of  wedlock;  truly  light,  she  who 
relieved  this  world  from  the  heavy  debt  of  sins. 
Light  she  was  who  bore  in  her  womb  the  remis- 
sion of  sins."  On  the  Training  of  a  Virgin,  Chap. 
13. 

St.  Cyril,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria  (d.  444) 
at  the  Council  of  Ephesus,  431,  delivered  several 
panegyrics  on  the  Blessed  Virgin,  from  one  of 
which  I  quote:     "Hail,  holy  Trinity,  who  hast  call- 

89 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


ed  us  together  into  this  church  of  Mary,  the 
Mother  of  God.  Hail,  Mary,  mother  of  God,  vener- 
able treasury  of  the  whole  world;  inextinguish- 
able lamp ;  crown  of  God,  virginity,  scepter  of  orth- 
odoxy; indestructible  temple;  repository  of  the 
Illimitable;  mother  and  virgin,  through  whom 
He  who  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  is 
called  blessed  in  the  holy  Gospel.  Hail,  thou 
who  didst  contain  the  Illimitable  in  thy  hal- 
lowed womb ;  through  whom  the  Trinity 
is  blessed ;  through  whom  the  precious 
cross  is  celebrated  and  venerated  through- 
out the  whole  world;  through  whom  angels  and 
archangels  are  filled  with  gladness;  through  whom 
heaven  exults;  through  whom  demons  are  put  to 
flight;  through  whom  the  tempter-devil  fell  from 
heaven ;  through  whom  every  creature,,  swayed 
by  the  idol  of  madness,  has  come  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth;  through  whom  holy  baptism 
is  the  portion  of  believers ;  through  whom  is  the 
oil  of  gladness ;  through  whom  the  churches 
have  been  built  over  the  whole  world;  through 
whom  the  nations  are  brought  unto  penitence; 
and  why  multiply  words?  Through  whom  the 
only-begotten  Son  of  God  shone  forth,  a  light  to 
those  that  sat  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of 
death.  Through  whom  prophets  predicted; 
through  whom  Apostles  proclaimed  salvation  to 
the  nations;  through  whom  the  dead  were  raised; 
through    whom    kings    reign ;    through    the    Holy 

90 


THE    BLESSED   VIRGIN   MARY 


Trinity.  And  who  amongst  men  is  able  to  pro- 
claim (worthily)  the  thrice-glorious  Mary!... 
Be  it  ours  to  worship  the  undivided  Trinity,  hymn- 
ing the  praises  of  Mary,  ever  Virgin."  Homily  at 
Ephesus,  P.  355-358. 

In  the  39th  sermon  found  amongst  the  works 
of  St.  Gregory  Thaumaturgus,  St.  Basil  of  Seleucia 
calls  her,  "The  Holy  Virgin  and  Mother  of  God;" 
"Hail  full  of  grace,  who  dost  mediate  between 
God  and  man,"  "O  all  holy  Virgin,  of  whom  who- 
soever utters  all  that  is  venerable  and  glorious, 
errs  not  against  the  truth,"  etc.  Parisian  Edition 
of  the  Works  of  St.  Gregory  Thaumaturgus,  Orat. 
39,  Pages  205;  211,  etc. 

Thecdotus,  Bishop  of  Ancyra,  who  died  be- 
fore 446,  in  his  sermon  on  the  Mother  of 
God  and  Simeon  thus  paraphrases  the  angelic  salu- 
tation :  "Hail,  thou  perfume-breathing  name; 
hail,  thou  most  bright  and  lovely  being;  hail,  most 
venerable  memorial ;  hail,  salutary  and  spiritual 
fleece ;  hail,  clothed  with  light,  mother  of  a  bright- 
ness that  knows  no  setting;  hail,  spotless  mother 
of  holiness ;  hail,  most  pellucid  spring  of  life-giv- 
ing waters,  etc."  Gallandis  Edition  Vol.  9.  No.  3, 
P.  460. 

St.  Peter  Chrysologus  institutes  a  contrast 
between  Eve  and  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary:  "It 
was  Christ's  will  that  as  through  Eve  death  came 
to  all  men,  so  through  Mary  life  might  return  to 
all."     Serm.   99. 

91 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


As  the  author  of  the  book,  "Faith  of  Catho- 
lics" aptly  remarks,  concerning  St.  Proclus  (died 
446),  "The  addresses,  to  the  blessed  Virgin,  of 
this  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  would  fill  a 
goodly  pamphlet."  I  subjoin  one  of  his  extracts. 
"The  holy  mother  of  God,  the  Virgin  Mary,  has, 
on  this  occasion,  called  us  here  together;  she  that 
spotless  treasury  of  virginity;  that  spiritual  para- 
dise of  the  second  Adam,  the  virgin  and  heaven, 
God's  only  bridge  to  men."     Vol.  3,  P.  404. 

Volumes  upon  volumes  might  be  rilled  with 
extracts  from  the  works  of  able  and  saintly  writ- 
ers of  the  past  and  present  to  show  that  from 
century  to  century  the  world  over  the  Catholic 
Church  has  chanted  and  still  proclaims  the  praises 
of  the  Mother  of  God  and  greatly  relies  upon  her 
maternal  protection.  Two  entire  months  of  the 
year,  May  and  October,  are  in  a  special  manner 
dedicated  to  the  veneration  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary.  Thousands  of  churches  are  dedicated 
to  her;  a  great  number  of  confrater- 
nities bestow  well-deserved  extraordinary  honor 
upon  her;  institutions  of  charity  flourish  under 
her  special  protection;  and  every  practical  Catho- 
lic greets  her  repeatedly  during  the  day  in  the 
words  of  the  archangel  Gabriel:  "Hail  (Mary) 
full  of  grace,  the  Lord  is  with  thee,  etc."  What 
our  dear  heavenly  Mother  predicted,  is  always 
fulfilled  in  the  Catholic  Church :  all  generations 
call     her    blessed.      Experience    and     observation 

92 


THE   BLESSED   VIRGIN   MARY 


bear  witness  to  the  fact  that  the  Mother  of  God 
takes  a  maternal  interest  in  our  welfare.  The  more 
we  love  and  venerate  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the 
better  will  we  adore  God  and  keep  His  command- 
ments. 

He  who  sincerely  loves  Jesus  Christ  will  also 
respect  and  venerate  His  dear  immaculate  mother. 
He  who  believes  that  Christ  is  God,  must  call 
His  mother,  the  Mother  of  God.  And  whosoever 
denies  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  the  title  of 
Mother  of  God,  denies  the  divinity  of  her  Son. 
Jesus  is  God.  Mary,  His  mother,  is  the  Mother  of 
God. 


IP3P& 


93 


A    BRIEF    SYNOPSIS    OF    CATHOLIC    DOC- 
TRINE. 

There  is  but  one  God  in  three  distinct  per- 
sons, Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  These  three 
divine  persons  have  one  and  the  same  divine  na- 
ture. We  call  this  the  mystery  of  the  Blessed 
Trinity. 

The  second  person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  the 
Son  of  God,  became  man,  assumed  His  human 
nature  from  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  of  whom 
He  was  born  into  this  world  over  nineteen  hun- 
dred years  ago.  He  is  the  promised  Redeemer 
whom  the  prophets  foretold,  the  Savior  of  the 
world.  He  enlightened  the  world  which  was 
sitting  in  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death  in 
consequence  of  the  sin  of  disobedience  of  our 
first  parents,  original  sin;  and  He  finally  died 
on  the  cross  to  save  mankind  from  eternal  death 
and  to  re-open  heaven  for  us.  He  amply  provided 
for  the  needs  of  every  individual  soul  and  depos- 
ited His  means  of  salvation  in  the  Church  which 
He  founded.  He  ascended  into  heaven  and  sent 
the  Holy  Ghost  upon  His  Apostles,  and  He  will 
come  again  at  the  end  of  the  world  to  judge  the 
living  and  the  dead..  He  who  redeemed  the  world 
will  also  judge  it. 

God  created  man  to  His  own  image  and  like- 
ness endowing  him  with  reason,  free  will,  and 
immortality.     The  human  soul  will   live  for  ever. 

94 


SYNOPSIS  OF  CATHOLIC  DOCTRINE 

Death,  the  separation  of  the  soul  from  the  body, 
came  into  the  world  through  original  sin.  The 
Son  of  God, — who  as  the  Son  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  is  called  Jesus  Christ, — atoned  for  this  sin 
and  all  actual  sins.  Since  Jesus  Christ  died  for 
all,  every  one  may  be  saved,  if  he  co-operates 
to  the  best  of  his  ability  with  the  grace,  which 
God  gives  to  every  one.  No  one  is  created  for 
hell ;  every  one  is  created  for  heaven.  But  heaven 
is  a  reward.  We  have  a  free  will :  we  can  choose 
to  do  the  good  or  the  evil.  We  will  be  judged 
according  to  the  use  and  abuse  of  our  reason  and 
free  will. 

To  help  us  and  to  guard  us,  God  has  given 
unto  every  one  an  angel,  a  ministering  spirit,  whom 
we  call  guardian  angel.  These  angels  belong  to  the 
world  of  spirits  which  God  created  in  the  begin- 
ning and  are  of  the  number  of  those  who  re- 
mained faithful  to  God  at  the  time  when  Lucifer 
and  his  angels  rebelled  against  Him  and  were 
hurled  into  hell,  the  place  of  everlasting  punish- 
ment, created  for  the  abode  of  the  fallen  spirits. 

At  the  moment  of  death,  the  soul  of  man 
appears  before  God  to  be  judged  according  to 
his  thoughts  deliberately  entertained,  his  words 
consciously  uttered,  his  wilful  deeds  and  volun- 
tary omissions  of  duty  as  well  as  his  acts 
of  heroic  virtue.  God  is  just.  Those  who  die 
in  the  state  of  mortal  sin  are  lost  and  sentenced 
to  hell;   but   those   who  die   in   the  state  of  sanc- 

95 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


tifying  grace,  will  enter  the  eternal  joys  of  heaven. 
If,  however,  the  soul  is  not  entirely  free  from  all 
defilement,  such  as  smaller  imperfections,  venial 
sins,  or  temporal  punishment  due  to  sin,  the 
soul  will  be  purged  of  these  defilements  and  thus 
be  prepared  to  enter  heaven.  This  state  and  place 
of  purgation  we  call  purgatory.  The  souls  de- 
tained in  it,  we  call  the  Poor  Souls.  We  can  be 
of  some  help  to  them  in  coming  to  God,  by  pray- 
ing for  them,  by  offering  up  indulgences  for 
them  (an  indulgence  is  a  remission  of  temporal 
punishment  due  to  sin),  by  giving  alms  or  per- 
forming other  acts  of  charity,  and  above  all  by 
having  Masses  said  for  them.  We  are  in  a  posi- 
tion to  help  the  Poor  Souls.  We  believe  in  the 
Communion  of  Saints;  i.  e.,  in  the  union  which 
exists  between  the  Church  Triumphant  in  heaven, 
the  Church  Militant  on  earth,  and  the  Church 
Suffering  in  Purgatory.  All  loyal  Catholics  belong 
to  the  Church  Militant.  Whilst  we  extend  one 
hand  to  help  the  Poor  Souls,  the  members  of  the 
Church  Suffering,  we  raise  the  other  in  suppli- 
cation to  the  Angels  and  Saints,  the  members  of 
the   Church  Triumphant  in  Heaven. 

The  angels  and  saints  of  heaven  are  forever 
infinitely  happy  with  God.  All  their  wishes  are 
fulfilled,  and  none  of  their  requests  will  ever  be 
denied.  God  listens  to  their  prayers.  They  can  and 
do  pray  for  us.  We  pray  to  them  that  they  may  in- 
tercede for  us   with    God.     We   venerate   them    as 


96 


SYNOPSIS  OF  CATHOLIC  DOCTRINE, 

friends  of  God.  But  more  than  any  other  saint  do 
we  venerate,  love,  and  invoke  the  Mother  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  ever  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  who  was 
never  tainted  with  sin ;  for  she  was  conceived  and 
born  without  sin ;  and  lived  and  died  without  ever 
committing  any  imperfection  that  would  attain  to 
the  nature  of  a  sin. 

As  a  dutiful  child  naturally  esteems 
and  venerates  the  heirlooms  and  portraits  of  his 
departed  parents,  so  we  pay  honor  and  respect 
to  the  relics  and  pictures  of  the  saints.  This  honor 
reflects  upon  the  saint,  the  friend  of  God,  and 
redounds  to  our  spiritual  benefit;  for  it  inspires 
us  with  the  heroism  necessary  to  imitate  the 
exalted  example  of  the  saints  in  serving  God.  It 
is  thus  a   means  of   sanctification. 

Other,  more  essential,  means  of  sanctification 
are  the  sacraments  as  has  already  been  mentioned. 
Jesus  Christ  instituted  seven  sacraments.  With- 
out baptism  no  other  sacrament  can  be  validly 
received  .  Through  baptism  all  sins  are  effaced, 
original  and  actual,  or  personal,  sins.  Mortal  sins 
committed  after  baptism  are  forgiven  in  the  sac- 
rament of  Penance  to  those  who  are  sincerely 
contrite  and  humbly  confess  their  sins  to  a 
priest  who  is  authorized  to  absolve  in  the  name 
of  God.  In  Holy  Communion  Jesus  comes  to  us 
under  the  appearance  of  bread.  In  holy  Mass 
He  offers  Himself  in  our  behalf  to  His  heavenly 
Father. 

97 


THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH 


His  representative  as  head  of  the  Church  is 
the  Holy  Father,  the  Pope,  who  is  infallible  when- 
ever as  head  and  teacher  of  the  whole  Church 
he  speaks  ex  cathedra  in  matters  of  doctrine  or 
morals.  Infallibility  does  not  mean  impeccability; 
that  is,  it  does  not  mean  that  the  Pope  cannot 
sin.  He,  like  any  other  human  being,  has  a  free 
will  and  must  use  it  for  the  good,  if  he  wants 
to  enter  life  everlasting.  His  position  as  head  of 
the  Church  is  in  no  way  a  guarantee  of  his  sal- 
vation ;  but  it  is  a  guarantee  of  the  infallibility 
of  his  decision  in  decreeing  what  the  Church  is 
to  believe  as  revealed.  Infallibility  does  not  mean 
that  the  Pope  can  invent  some  new  doctrine,  but 
it  means  that  he  can  designate  infallibly  the 
teaching  which  the  Church  has  always  held,  and 
point  out  and  anathematize  heretical  innovations. 
The  Catholic  Church  is  infallible;  for  it  is  under 
the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  gates  of 
hell  shall  never  prevail  against  it.  It  is  infallible 
in  its  teachings  and  means  of  salvation. 


98 


THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  IS  THE  TRUE 
CHURCH. 

In  the  preceding  chapters  we  have  seen  that 
the  Church  which  Jesus  Christ  founded  and  to 
which  He  promised  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  it  continued  throughout  all 
the  centuries  of  the  Christian  era:  it  still  exists. 
This  true  Church  is  no  other  than  the  Catholic 
Church.  The  Catholic  Church  alone  claims  and 
proves  theologically  and  historically  that  it  is 
the  only  Church  which  Jesus  Christ  founded:  it 
alone  dates  back  to  Him. 

Spread  over  the  whole  globe  this  Church  of 
which  God  is  the  founder  has  at  present  about 
two  hundred  and  ninety  million  members  Though, 
like  unto  its  divine  founder,  persecuted  from  the 
beginning,  hated  by  all  the  enemies  of  the  cross, 
the  Catholic  Church  continues  to  flourish  in  its 
noble  and  sublime  mission  of  saving  immortal 
souls.  It  is  for  ever  the  mightiest  bulwark 
against  the  wild  and  destructive  forces  in  social 
life,  the  defender  of  virtue  and  justice,  and  the 
mother  of  numberless  heroic  saints,  whose  sanc- 
tity God  attested  by  astounding  miracles.  During 
the  last  nineteen  centuries  the  Catholic  Church 
has  witnessed  the  rise  and  the  fall  of  many  a 
nation.  Kingdoms  and  republics  that  antag- 
onized the  Church  and  stood  at  the  zenith  of  their 
glory  boasting  of  their  tyranny  over   the   Catholic 

99 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


Church  have  sunk  to  the  nadir  of  misery.  They 
have  passed  into  oblivion ;  but  the  Catholic  Church 
is  still  there  and  as  glorious  to-day  as  it  was  at  any 
time.  There  is  no  doubt  that  it  will  continue 
its  noble  work  of  saving  souls,  even  the  souls 
of  its  present  enemies.  To  save  even  its  bitterest 
enemies  from  eternal  damnation,  to  forgive  in 
order  to  gain  them  for  heaven:  this  is  the  attitude 
of  the  Catholic  Church  towards  those  who  are 
blinded  by  prejudice  against  it.  Akin  to  the  con- 
duct of  Jesus  Christ  towards  His  enemies  is  the 
attitude  of  the  Catholic  Church  towards  its  per- 
secutors. "Father  forgive  them,  for  they  know 
not  what  they  do."  Jesus  Christ  is  the  strength 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  the  center  of  its  devotions, 
the  magnet  of  its  heroism,  the  cause  of  its  many 
saints,  and  the  reason  of  its  stability.  "Behold  I 
am  with  you  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation 
of  the  world.''  Jesus  dwells  in  the  Catholic 
Church  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar.  The  Holy 
Ghost  abides  with  the  Church  and  guards  it  against 
all  error  in   doctrine. 

To  belong  to  the  Catholic  Church  means  to 
be  a  member  of  the  Church  of  which  the  God-man 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  founder:  it  means  to  be  a 
member  of  the  one  and  only  true  Church.  This 
is  the  Catholic  Church  which  Jesus  founded  upon 
His  Apostles,  of  which  St.  Peter  was  appointed 
by  Him  the  first  head:  "To  thee  I  will  give  the 
keys    of   the   kingdom  .  of    heaven."     "Thou     art 

100 


THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  IS  THE  TRUE  CHURCH 

Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  Church, 
and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.** 
"Feed  my  lambs,  feed  my  sheep."  This  is  the 
Church  which  the  Apostles  spread  the  world 
over;  which  exists  since  the  time  of  Christ  as 
Christ  established  it.  It  has  His  teachings  to- 
day as  He  gave  them  to  His  Church.  It  has 
the  legitimate  successor  of  St.  Peter  in  the  person 
of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  head  of  the  whole 
Church.  It  is  Catholic,  that  is  universal  as  to  time 
and  place:  it  exists  without  any  break  or  interrup- 
tion since  the  time  of  Christ;  it  is  found  the  world 
over,  everywhere  teaching  the  same  doctrines,  ev- 
erywhere using  the  same  seven  Sacraments,  ev- 
erywhere offering  up  to  God  the  same  adorable 
sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  everywhere  acknowledging 
the  same  supreme  head  of  the  Church,  our  Holy 
Father,  the  Pope.  It  is  Catholic,  for  it  is  for  the 
salvation  of  all  mankind.  Whosoever  honestly  and 
sincerely  strives  to  become  a  member  of 
the  Church,  no  matter  how  poor  or 
how  rich,  no  matter  what  his  nation- 
ality may  be,  he  or  she  will  be  admitted  into  the 
Church.  The  Church  bars  no  one  from  member- 
ship who  seeks  to  save  his  soul  in  the  manner 
ordained   by    God. 

If  perchance  you,  kind  reader,  should  wish  to 
be  received  into  the  Church,  all  you  have 
to  do  is  to  call  on  the  Catholic  Priest  and  tell 
him  that  you  desire  to  become  a  Catholic.    He  will 

101 


THE    CATHOLIC   CHURCH 


tell  you  what  to  do„  and  with  God's  grace  you 
will  be  a  Catholic  some  day,  and  as  such  expe- 
rience that  real  happiness,  peace  of  conscience,  and 
security  of  soul  can  be  found  in  the  Catholic 
Church,  for  it  is  a  divine  institution  with  Jesus 
dwelling  in   it. 


102 


OTHER  CHRISTIAN   DENOMINATIONS. 

THE  GREEK   ORTHODOX  CHURCH. 

In  the  year  867  Photius,  Patriarch  of  Con- 
stantinople by  intrusion,  caused  a  temporary 
schism  between  the  Eastern  and'  Western  Church. 
He  had  received  orders  at  the  hands  of  Gregory 
Asbestas,  an  excommunicated  bishop.  St.  Igna- 
tius, the  legitimate  Patriarch,  was  dragged  from 
prison  to  prison  and  cruelly  persecuted  by  the 
intruder.  The  Council  of  Constantinople,  869, 
deposed  and  excommunicated  Photius  and  declared 
Ignatius  the  lawful  Patriarch  of  Constantinople. 
Three  days  after  the  death  of  St.  Ignatius  the 
excommunicated  Photius,  who  had  ingratiated 
himself  with  the  emperor,  was  reinstated  in  the 
see  of  Constantinople.  After  this  he  was  repeat- 
edly excommunicated. 

"The  schism,  for  a  time  extinguished,  was 
revived  in  1043  by  the  haughty  and  ignorant 
Caerularius,  Patriarch  of  Constantinople,  who  add- 
ed a  few  ridiculous  accusations  to  the  more 
weighty  charges  of  Photius.  At  the  request  of 
Emperor  Constantine  IX.,  Pope  St.  Leo  IX.  sent 
three  legates  to  Constantinople  with  a  written 
refutation  of  the  charges  of  Caerularius.  The 
Patriarch    and  his   party    refused  all   communica- 

103 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

tion  with  the  legates,  forbade  them  to  celebrate 
Mass,  and  displayed  such  hostility  to  the  plan  of 
union  proposed  by  the  Emperor,  that  on  the  16th 
xi>f  July,  1054,  the  legates  laid  the  document  of  the 
Patriarch's  excommunication  upon  the  high  altar 
of  St.  Sophia's  Church,  and  left  Constantinople. 
All  further  efforts  of  union,  even  the  deposition 
and  banishment  of  Caerularius,  failed  to  effect 
a  permanent  reunion.  The  haughty  Patriarch 
and  his  party  had  succeeded  in  filling  the  minds 
of  the  populace  with  a  blind  hatred  of  the  West- 
ern Church.  The  other  Patriarchates  of  the  East 
remained  in  union  with  the  Holy  See  till  the 
twelfth  century,  when  they  were  gradually  drawn 
into  the  schism.  The  Russian  Church  shared  the 
fate  of  the  Patriarchate  of  Constantinople,  to 
which  she  was  immediately  subjected.  But  so 
imperceptibly  did  the  schism  enter  Russia  that 
their  ritual  books  retain  to  the  present  day  a 
series  of  prayers  which  express  the  faith  in  the 
Primacy  of  the  Roman  See  in  the  fullest  sense. 
It  was  only  when  the  Greek  Nicephorus  became 
Metropolitan  of  Kief,  that  the  Byzantine  hatred 
of  Rome  was  instilled  into  the  Russian  Church. 
But  it  was  then  too  late  to  change  the  form  of  the 
liturgical  books  sanctioned  by  immemorial  use." 
Guggeriberger,  General  History  of  the  Christian 
Era,  Vol.  I,  Page  290. 

Therefore    the  Greek    Church,  as    a  separate 
'body,    dates    back    to    the    eleventh    century.      It 

104 


THE  GREEK  ORTHODOX  CHURCH 

refused  to  obey  the  Church.  It  does  not  acknowl- 
edge the  authority  nor  heed  the  voice  of  the  shep- 
herd, whom  Christ  commissioned  to  feed  the 
lambs  and  the  sheep.  "If  he  will  not  hear  the 
Church,  let  him  be  to  thee  as  the  heathen  and 
publican."    Matth.   18;  17. 

It  is  generally  known  that  the  chain  is  no- 
stronger  than  its  weakest  link;  break  one  of  the 
links  and  the  chain  is  broken  altogether.  By 
violently  tearing  themselves  away  from  the  su- 
preme jurisdiction  of  the  Pope  the  schismatics 
tore  the  chain  which  held  them  to  the  Church 
which  Jesus  built  upon  St.  Peter:  "Thou  art 
Peter;  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church, 
and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it." 
St.   Matth.  16;  18. 

Not  all  Greeks  belong  to  the  Greek  Church. 
Many  of  them  are  true  and  devout  members  of 
the  Catholic  Church.  These  we  call  United  Greeks, 
or  simply  Catholics.  Those  belonging  to  the 
Greek  Church  are  called  schismatics,  because  they 
separated  from  the  true  Church.  They  claim 
127,541,718    members. 


105 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

Ey  this  title  we  designate  the  followers  of 
'Luther,  a  priest  and  monk,  who  fell  away 
from  the  Catholic  Church  and  started  a  new  sect 
in  1520,  the  same  year  in  which  he  was  excom- 
municated. Lutherans,,  however,  prefer  to  date 
their  church  back  to  October  31st,  1517,  the 
day  on  which  Luther  publicly  affixed  his  no- 
torious ninety-five  theses  to  the  doors  of  the 
-castle  church  of  Wittenberg. 

In  any  case,  even  the  Lutherans  admit  that 
the  church  which  Luther  founded  differs  from  the 
existing  Catholic  Church.  The  Lutheran  Church 
is  fifteen  hundred  years  too  late  to  be  the  Church 
which  Jesus  Christ  founded ;  for  Jesus  lived  fifteen 
Jiundred  years  before  the  rise  and  spread  of  Lu- 
"•.heranism.  Its  very  name  designates  it  as  a  human 
institution,  and  history  proves  that  it  is  nothing 
more.  Luther  is  its  founder;  his  followers  are 
called   Lutherans.     They  number  about  50,000,000. 

In  the  wake  of  Luther's  so-called  reformation 
came  rebellion,  bloodshed  and  licentiousness.  No 
true  historian  can  ever  cheat  himself  into  the  con- 
viction that  Protestantism  brought  peace  and  hap- 
piness. On  the  contrary,  it  is  an  undeniable  his- 
torical fact  that  Luther  by  his  incentive  talk  and 
venomous  pen,  particularly  by  publishing  his 
treatise  on  Christian  Liberty  destroyed  peace  and 
harmony   throughout   the   Fatherland     and   caused 

106 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


the  riotous  and  atrocious,  most  bloody  revolt  of 
1525,  known  as  the  Peasant  War.  During  the 
carnage  of  the  war  Luther  took  the  escaped  nun 
Catherine  of  Bora  for  his  wife. 

When  the  lawful  princes  were  about  to  crush 
the  rebellion  and  to  protect  themselves  against 
the  ever  increasing  fury  of  the  mob,  Luther  turned 
against  the  peasants  and  urged  the  princes  to 
dire  revenge.  'Trick,  strike,  strangle!  Slay  front 
and  rear,  nothing  is  more  devilish  than  sedition, 
etc."  Such  was  Luther's  advice,  which  undoubt- 
edly contributed  to  the  slaughter  of  the  deluded 
peasants. 

iBehold  the  dismal  sight  conjured  by  an 
apostate,  a  sinful,  insubordinate,  excommunicated 
man,  the  Father  of  Protestantism !  Over  one 
thousand  castles  and  convents  were  plundered, 
demolished  and  turned  into  ghastly  ruins.  Hun- 
dreds of  hamlets  were  burnt  to  the  ground. 
Thousands  of  defenseless  people,  relatives,  even, 
were  mutilated  and  most  cruelly  tortured  by  the 
disciples  of  misnamed  religious  tolerance.  The 
land  lay  waste,  whilst  the  homeless  widows  and 
orphans  of  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  slain  peasants  went  to  strange  villages 
asking  for  a  morsel  of  food.  Where  formerly 
people  had  lived  peacefully  together,  there  rebellion 
and  hatred  entered,  and  despotism  ruled  with  an 
iron  hand.  This  universal  curse  of  discord,  de- 
vastation and  despicable  barbarism  was  the  result 

107 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

of  revolt  against  the  Church.  The  pretentious 
cry  for  reformation  and  freedom  of  conscience ; 
the  plea  of  protesting  against  the  Church,  cannot 
efface  the  real  names :  rebellion  and  intolerance. 
Listen  to  what  St.  Paul  says:  "Now  I  beseech 
you,  brethren,  to  mark  them  who  make  dissen- 
sions and  offences  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which 
you  have  learned,  and  avoid  them.  For  they  that 
are  such,  serve  not  Christ  our  Lord,  but  their  own 
belly ;  and  by  pleasing  speeches  and  good  words, 
seduce  the  hearts  of  the  innocent."  Rom.  16;  17, 
18. 

Contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Church, 
Luther  denied  the  existence  of  purgatory  and  the 
utility  of  praying  for  the  dead ;  he  abolished  the 
invocation  of  saints;  denied  the  indissolubility  of 
-marriage;  and  granted  permission  to  the  Land- 
grave of  Hesse,  to  marry  a  second  wife  and  ridi- 
culed and  renounced  four  of  the  seven  Sacraments, 
retaining  only  Baptism,  Holy  Eucharist,  and  Pen- 
ance. Because  his  rank  heresy  of  the  justifi- 
cation by  faith  alone  was  diametrically  opposed 
to  what  St.  James  asserts  in  his  Epistle,  Luther 
would  not  even  bend  his  stubborn  neck  to  an  in- 
spired writer,  but  rejected  that  Epistle  and  blas- 
phemously called  it  an  epistle  of  straw. 

The  different  Evangelical  Lutheran  churches, 
that  have  sprung  up,  or  seceded  so  numerously 
since  the  time  of  Luther,  agree  in  their  interpre- 
tation   of   the  Apostles'  Creed,    the  Nicene    Creed, 

108 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


the  Athanasian  Creed,  and  the  Augsburg  Con- 
fession. Though  none  of  the  Lutheran  ministers 
has  any  valid  ordination  from  his  church,  though 
none  of  them  can  really  consecrate,  nevertheless 
the  stricter  Lutherans  believe  in  the  real  pres- 
ence of  Jesus  Christ.  They,  however,  differ 
with  the  Catholic  Church  in  holding 
that  the  bread  remains  and  Christ  is  in 
the  bread ;  whereas  the  Catholic  Church  teaches, 
what  Jesus  plainly  said:  "This  is  my  body," 
the  bread  and  wine  are  changed  into  the  body  and 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  So  much  is  certain,  when 
a  Lutheran  minister  attempts  to  consecrate,  the 
bread  remains  bread  only,  as  it  was  before;  but 
when  a  Catholic  Priest  consecrates  at  Mass,  the 
bread  and  wine  are  substantially  changed  into  the 
body  and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  Lutherans  have 
no  Sacrament  of  Holy  Orders.  Without  it,  there 
is  no  consecration.  In  some  of  their  teachings 
and  in  many  of  their  practices  the  Lutherans  are 
similar  to  the  Catholics,  for  they  have  retained 
many  of  the  good  things  which  Luther  took 
along  from  the  Catholic  Church.  The  Bible  is 
one  of  these  things.  Would  to  God,  that  they  had 
retained  it,  correct  and  complete,  as  they  got  it 
from  the  Church. 

Denying  the  efficacy  of  sacramental  confes- 
sion, they  pin  their  hope  of  salvation  to  faith 
alone.  Jesus  said  to  His  disciples  and  their  legi- 
timate  successors:     "Whose   sins  you    shall    for- 

109 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

give,  they  are  forgiven  them ;  and  whose  sins  you 
shall  retain,  they  are  retained."  St.  John  20;  23. 
Entangled  in  the  meshes  of  falsehood,  it  is  hard 
for  them  to  extricate  themselves  from  the  tightly 
woven  net  of  prejudice  and  to  behold  and  to  love 
that  Church,  which  Jesus  founded  about  1500 
years  before  the  birth  of  Lutheranism. 

A  Few  Remarks 

About  the  German  Translation 

of  the  Bible. 

With  many  Protestants  especially  Lutherans 
the  erroneous  opinion  prevails  that  Luther  was 
the  first  who  translated  the  Holy  Bible  into  the 
German  language.  A  number  of  complete  Ger- 
man Bibles  were  printed  about  the  year  1460. 
Luther  was  born  in  1483.  We  cannot  presume 
that  he  made  any  translations  before  his  birth, 
neither    in   his    infancy. 

On  January  the  27th,  1912,  I  spent  some 
profitable  hours  in  the  valuable  library  of  St. 
Benedict's   Abbey,     Atchison,     Kansas,    and     there 

110 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


I  saw  and  partly  read  a  German  Bible,  which  was 
printed  on  St.  Urban's  day,  1487,  when  Luther 
was  but  a  mere  child.  Another  Bible  in  the  Ger- 
man language  which  antedates  Luther's  trans- 
lation may  be  seen  in  the  University  of  Notre 
Dame,  Indiana.  It  is  the  second  volume  of  a  Bible 
printed  in  March,  1483,  about  seven  months  before 
the  birth  of  Martin  Luther.  The  place  of  publi- 
cation was  Nuerenberg,  and  the  printer  was  the 
famous   Anthony   Koburger. 

Luther  did  not  give  the  Bible  to  the  people. 
They  had  the  Bible  long  before  he  was  born. 

"Whereas  the  university  at  Erfurt  contained 
an  eight  years  course  of  the  study  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, he  (Luther)  seems  to  have  ignored  it  en- 
tirely, giving  all  his  attention  to  profane  letters. 
Thus  it  may  well  be  that,  when  later  on  he  took 
to  the  reading  of  the  Holy  Bible,  he  found  this 
precious  treasure  almost  a  new  book  to  him, 
though  it  had  been  the  most  familiar  of  all  books 
during  the  preceding  centuries.  So  there  are  to- 
day thousands  of  Christian  literateurs  and  scientists 
who  have  never  read  the  Holy  Gospels.  The  late 
historian,  Joannes  Janssen,  in  his  monumental  work, 
'The  History  of  the  German  People,'  has  forever 
dispelled  the  mist  that  used  to  surround  the  life  of 

Luther  with  a  halo  of  glory "     Coppens'  The 

Protestant  Reformation,  Pages  16,  17. 

The  strict  German  Lutherans  of  to-day  are, 
as    a  rule,   honest    and   moral   people.     They    have 

111 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

their  parochial  schools  and  bring  great  sacrifices 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  same.  When  once 
converted  to  the  Church,  they  make  very  good 
Catholics.  May  God  give  this  grace  of  conver- 
sion to  many  of  them ! 

King    Henry    VIII.    of    England    Against    Martin 
Luther. 

Whilst  Martin  Luther  hurled  his  unqualified 
slurs  and  calumnies  against  the  Catholic  Church 
and  the  Pope  and  ridiculed  most  of  the  seven 
Sacraments,  Henry  VIII. ,  King  of  England,  hav- 
ing improved  his  natural  talents  by  an  education 
which  was  intended  to  prepare  him  for  the  Arch- 
bishopric of  Canterbury,  wrote  his  excellent  work: 
"Defence  of  the  Seven  Sacraments"  against  Luther. 
He  exposed  Luther's  many  fallacies  and  called 
him  a  prevaricator,  a  corrupter  of  the  Testament, 
a  labyrinth  of  stupidity,  a  destroyer  of  both  soul 
and  body,  a  little  know-it-all,  and  a  pest  to  be 
avoided.  Upon  the  receipt  of  this  book  Pope 
Leo  X.,  bestowed  upon  Henry  VIII.,  the  title, 
"Defender  of  the  Faith;"  which  title  the  rulers  of 
England  bear  to  this  day.  King  Henry  defended 
with  heart  and  soul  the  independence  of  the 
Holy  See  until  the  Pope  had  to  forbid  him,  to 
unjustly  put  aside  his  lawful  wife,  queen  Cath- 
erine, in  order  to  marry  Anne  Boleyn.  Goaded 
on  by  his  unbridled  sensuality  and  encouraged 
by   his  many    sycophants   King   Henry  tore    away 

112 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


from  the  Church  and  became  its  blood-thirsty 
persecutor. 

In  spite  of  his  later  crimes  his  Defence  of 
the  Seven  Sacraments  was  not  altered  by  him. 
We  still  possess  it  as  he  sent  it  to  the  Holy  Fa- 
ther. Since  it  was  written  at  Luther's  time  it 
undoubtedly  furnishes  some  valuable  and  inter- 
esting information.  For  this  reason  a  few  ex- 
tracts are  given  here  from  the  "Rev.  Louis  O'Don- 
ovan's  edition,"  coyprighted  by  Benziger  Broth- 
ers. 

"Let  us  therefore  begin  where  he  began  him- 
self, with  the  adorable  Sacrament  of  Christ's  Body. 
The  changing  of  the  name  thereof,  calling  it,  'The 
Sacrament  of  Bread/  shows  that  this  man  cannot 
well  endure,  that  we  should  be  put  in  mind  of 
Christ's  Body,  by  the  name  of  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment; and  that,  if  under  any  fair  pretext,  it  were 
possible  for  him,  he  would  give  it  a  worse  name. 
How  much  differs  the  judgment  of  St.  Ambrose 
from  this  man's,  when  he  says,  Though  the  form 
of  bread  and  wine  is  seen  upon  the  altar,  yet  we 
must  believe,  that  there  is  nothing  else  but  the 
Body  and  Blood  of  Christ;  by  which  words  it 
clearly  appears,  that  St.  Ambrose  confesses  no 
other  substance  to  remain  with  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  Christ  in  the  Sacrament,  when  he  says, 
That  which  is  seen  under  the  form  of  bread  and 
wine,  is  nothing  else  but  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
Christ.     If  St.  Ambrose    had  only  said  Flesh    and 

113 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

Blood,  without  adding  anything  more,  perhaps 
Luther  would  have  said,  that  the  bread  and  wine 
were  there  also;  as  Luther  himself  says,  That 
the  substance  of  the  Flesh  is  with  the  bread,  and 
the  substance  of  the  Blood  along  with  the  wine: 
but  seeing  St.  Ambrose  says,  That  there  is  noth- 
ing else  but  the  Flesh  and  Blood,  it  appears  that 
he  is  manifestly  against  Luther,  who  affirms, 
that  the  bread  is  with  the  Flesh,  and  the  wine 
with  the  Blood. 

And  though  this  which  Luther  says,  were 
as  true  as  it  is  false,  viz.  that  the  bread  should 
remain  mingled  with  the  Body  of  Christ;  yet  was 
it  not  necessary  for  him  to  blot  the  name  of  the 
Body  of  Christ  out  of  the  Sacrament,  in  which 
he  confesses  that  the  true  Body  of  Christ  is."  De- 
fence of  the  Seven  Sacraments,  Pages  212,  214. 

"In  the  meanwhile,  let  us  truly  examine  how 
subtlely,  under  pretense  of  favoring  the  laity, 
he  endeavors  to  stir  them  up  to  a  hatred  against 
the  clergy:  for  when  he  resolved  to  render  the 
Church's  Faith  suspicious,  that  its  authority 
should  be  of  no  consequence  against  him ;  (and 
so  by  opening  that  gap,  he  might  destroy  the 
chief  est  mysteries  of  Christianity),  he  began  with 
that  thing,  which  he  forsaw  would  be  praised 
and  applauded  by  the  people.  For  he  touched  the 
old  sore,  by  which  Bohemia  had  been  formerly 
blistered,  viz.  that  the  laity  ought  to  receive  the 
JEucharist  under    both    kinds.     When    first  he    be- 

114 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


gan  to  handle  this  point,  he  only  said,  that  the 
Pope  would  do  well,  to  have  it  ordained  by  a 
general  council,  that  the  laity  should  receive  the 
Sacrament  under  both  kinds;  but  that  being  by 
some  disputed  with  him,  and  denied,  he  was  not 
contented  to  stop  there,  but  grew  to  such  a  per- 
verse height,  that  he  condemned  the  whole  clergy 
of  wickedness,  for  not  doing  it  without  staying  for 
any  council.  For  my  part,  I  do  not  dispute  the 
first:  and  though  to  me,  no  reasons  appear  why 
the  Church  should  not  ordain,  that  the  Sacra- 
ment should  be  administered  to  the  laity,  under 
both  kinds ;  yet  doubt  I  not,  but  what  was  done 
in  times  past,  fn  omitting  it,  and  also  in  hinder- 
ing it  to  be  so  administered  now,  is  very  conven- 
ient. Nor  can  I  believe  that  the  whole  clergy, 
(during  so  many  ages),  have  been  so  void  of 
sense,  as  to  incur  eternal  punishment  for  a  thing 
by  which  they  could  reap  no  temporal  good.  It 
further  appears  not  to  be  a  thing  of  such  danger; 
because  God,  not  only  bestowed  heaven  upon 
these  men,  who  did  this  thing  themselves,  and 
writ  that  it  ought  to  be  done;  but  likewise  would 
have  them  honored  on  earth,  by  those  by  whom 
He  is  adored  Himself.  Amongst  whom  (to  omit 
others)  was  that  most  learned  and  holy  man 
Thomas  Aquinas,  whom  I  do  more  willingly  name 
here;  because  the  wickedness  of  Luther  cannot 
endure  the  sanctity  of  this  man,  but  reviles  with 
his  foul  lips  him  whom  all  Christians  honor.     There 

115 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

are  very  many,  though  not  canonized,  who  are 
contrary  to  Luther's  opinion  in  this;  and  to 
whom,  in  piety  and  learning,  Luther  is  no  wise 
comparable:  among  whom  was  the  Master  of 
the  Sentences,  Nicholas  de  Lyra  and  many  oth- 
ers; to  each  of  whom  it  behoves  all  Christians 
to  give  more  credit,  than  to  Luther. 

But  pray,  observe  how  Luther  staggers,  and 
contradicts  himself:  in  one  place  he  says,  that 
Christ  in  his  Last  Supper  not  only  said  to  all 
the  faithful  as  permitting,  but  as  commanding, 
Drink  ye  all  of  this :  yet  afterwards,  (fearing  to 
offend  the  laity,  whom  he  flatters,  with  a  view 
to  stir  up  hatred  against  the  priests,)  he  adds 
these  words;  not  that  they,  who  use  but  one  kind 
do  sin  against  Christ,  seeing  Christ  did  not  com- 
mand to  use  any  kind,  but  left  it  to  every  man's 
discretion,  saying,  As  often  as  you  do  this,  do  it 
in  remembrance  of  me:  but,  says  he,  they  sin 
who  forbid  to  give  both  kinds  to  such  as  are 
willing  to  receive  them :  the  blame,  says  he,  lies 
on  the  clergy  and  not  on  the  laity.  You  see  how 
clearly  he  first  holds  it  for  a  command,  and  then 
says,  it  is  no  commandment,  but  a  thing  left  to 
every  man's  discretion.  What  need  we  contra- 
dict him,  who  so  often  contradicts  himself?"  P. 
214,   216,   218. 

"This  worse  than  sacrilegious  caitiff  endeavors 
to  scatter  abroad  the  Church's  most  splendid 
congregation;    to    extinguish  its  pillar  of  fire;    to 

116 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


violate  the  ark  of  the  covenant;  and  to  destroy 
the  chief  and  only  sacrifice  which  reconciles  us 
to  God,  and  which  is  always  offered  for  the  sins 
of  the  people :  for,  as  much  as  in  him  lies,  he 
robs  the  Mass  of  all  the  benefits  that  flow  from  it 
to  the  people;  denying  it  to  be  a  good  work,  or 
to  bring  to  them  any  kind  of  profit.  In  which 
thing  I  know  not  whether  more  to  admire  his 
wickedness,  or  his  foolish  hope;  or  rather  his 
mad  pride;  who,  seeing  so  many  obstructions 
before  him,  as  he  himself  mentions,  brings  noth- 
ing with  him,  whereby  to  remove  the  least;  but 
seems  as  if  he  would  go  about  to  pierce  a  rock 
with  a  reed.  For  he  sees,  and  confesses  himself, 
that  the  opinions  of  the  Holy  Fathers  are  against 
him,  as  also  the  Canon  of  the  Mass,  with  the 
custom  of  the  universal  Church,  confirmed  by 
the  usage  of  so  many  ages,  and  the  consent  of 
so  many  people."  Defence  of  Seven  Sacraments, 
Page   254. 

"Luther  so  much  commends  faith  to  us,  as  not 
only  to  permit  us  to  abstain  from  good  works ; 
but  also  encourages  us  to  commit  any  kind  of 
action,  how  bad  soever:  Tor  (says  he)  you  see 
now  how  rich  the  baptized  man  is,  who  cannot 
lose  his  salvation,  though  willing  to  do  it,  by 
any  sin  whatsoever,  except  infidelity;  for  no  sins 
can  damn  him,  but  only  incredulity/  O  most 
impious  doctrine,  and  mistress  of  all  impiety! 
so  hateful  in  itself  to   pious  ears,  that  there  is  no 

117 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

need  to  confute  it :  adultery  will  not  damn  them ! 
Murder  will  not  damn!  Perjury  will  not  damn! 
Is  not  parricide  damnable  either,  if  every  one 
believe  that  he  shall  be  saved,  through  the  vir- 
tue of  the  promise  alone  in  baptism?  For  this 
he  openly  asserts;  nor  do  the  words,  which  he 
presently  adds,  correct  his  sentence  in  any  wise; 
but  rather  add  to  the  force  of  it.  For  he  saith, 
'That  all  things,  if  faith  return,  or  stand  in  the 
divine  promise  made  by  the  baptized,  are 
swallowed  up  in  a  moment  in  the  same 
faith ;  rather  by  the  faith  of  God,  for  he 
cannot  deny  himself,  if  you  confess  him,  and 
stick  faithfully  to  his  promise/  By  these  words, 
what  else  does  he  say,  but  what  he  has  said  before, 
that,  'Infidelity  excepted,  all  other  crimes  are  in 
a  moment  swallowed  up  by  faith  alone;  if  you 
confess  Christ,  and  stick  faithfully  to  his  promise;' 
that  is,  if  you  firmly  believe  that  you  are  to  be 
saved  by  faith,  whatsoever  you  do  notwithstand- 
ing. And  that  you  may  the  less  doubt  what  he 
aims  at,  'Contrition  (says  he)  and  confession  of 
sins,  as  also  satisfaction,  and  all  these  human 
inventions,  will  forsake  you,  and  leave  you  the 
more  unhappy,  if  you  busy  yourselves  with  them 
forgetting  this  divine  truth.'  What  truth  pray? 
'This  that  no  sins  can  damn  thee,  but  infidelity 
only.'  What  Christian  ears  can  witii  patience 
hear  the  pestilentious  hissing  of  this  serpent,  by 
which   he   extols  baptism,  for  no  other  end  but  to 

118 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


depress  penance,  and  establish  the  grace  of  bap- 
tism for  the  free  liberty  of  sinning?  Contrary 
to  what  is  that  sentence  of  St.  Hierom,  which 
says,  that  Penance  is  the  table  after  ship-wreck. 
But  this  agrees  not  with  Luther;  for  he  denys 
sin  to  be  the  ship-wreck  of  faith,  and  disputes 
it,  as  if  that  only  word  should  totally  destroy  all 
the  strength  of  faith.  But  beside  Luther,  who  is 
ignorant  that  a  sinner  not  only  is  not  saved  by  the 
only  faith  of  baptism,  but  also  that  the  baptism 
will  add  to  his  damnation?  And  indeed  deser- 
vedly ;  because  he  has  offended  God,  from  whom 
he  had  the  whole  grace  of  baptism,  and  God 
exacts  the  more  from  him  to  whom  he  has  given 
the  more:  therefore  since  faith  becomes  dead  by 
wicked  works,  why  can  it  not  be  said,  that  he 
suffers  ship-wreck  who  falls  from  the  grac*  of 
God,  into  the  hands  of  the  devil?  From  which 
without  Penance  he  cannot  escape,  or  be  renewed 
to  such  a  condition  that  baptism  may  be  prov- 
able to  him."     Page  300,  302. 

"It  troubles  me  exceedingly  to  hear  how 
absurd,  how  impious,  and  how  contradictory  to 
themselves  the  Irifles  and  babbles  are,  wherewith 
Luther  bespatters  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. '' 
Page  318. 

"Now  let  any  one  judge  of  the  truth  of  Lu- 
ther's opinion,  who,  contrary  to  the  sentiments  of 
all  the  holy  Fathers,  draws  the  Keys  of  the  Church 
to   the  laity,  and   to  women ;  and   says,  that   these 

119 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

words  of  Christ,  Whatsoever  you  shall  bind,  etc. 
are  spoken  not  only  to  Priests,  but  also  to  all 
the  faithful.  Marcus  Aemilius  Scaurus,  a  man 
most  excellent,  and  of  known  honesty,  being 
accused  at  Rome  to  the  people  by  Varius  Suc- 
ronensis,  a  man  of  little  sincerity;  his  accuser 
having  made  a  long  and  tedious  discourse;  Scaurus 
confidently  relying  on  the  judgment  of  the  peo- 
ple, not  thinking  him  worthy  of  an  answer,  said, 
Romans,  Varius  Sucronensis  says  it,  Aemilius 
Scaurus  denies  it;  which  of  them  do  you  believe? 
By  which  words  the  people,  applauding  this  hon- 
orable man,  scorned  the  idle  accusations  of  the 
babbling  adversary.  Which  discourse  seems  not 
more  applicable  to  them,  than  to  what  we 
hear  state :  for  Luther  says,  that  the  words 
of  Christ  concerning  the  Keys  are  spoken 
to  the  laity;  St.  Augustine  denies  it:  which  of 
them  is  the  rather  to  be  believed?  Luther  af- 
firms, Bede  denies;  which  of  them  will  you 
believe?  Luther  affirms,  St.  Ambrose  denies; 
which  of  them  has  the  greater  credit?  Finally, 
Luther  affirms  it,  and  the  whole  Church  denies 
it;  which  do  you  think  to  be  believed?  But 
if  anybody  be  so  mad,  as  to  believe  with  Luther, 
that  he  ought  to  confess  himself  to  a  woman; 
perhaps  it  may  not  be  amiss  for  him  also  to 
follow  the  other  opinion  of  Luther;  in  which  he 
persuades  us,  not  to  be  too  careful  in  calling  to 
mind   our  sins."     Pages  336,  338. 

120 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


"(Luther  says),  'That  God  does  nothing 
regard  our  works,  nor  has  any  need  of  them:  but 
he  has  need  that  we  should  esteem  him  true  in 
his  promise.'  What  Luther  meant  by  these 
words,  he  knows  best  himself.  For  my  part, 
I  believe,  that  God  cares  for  our  faith  and  our 
works,  and  that  He  stands  in  need  of  neither  our 
faith,  nor  our  works.  For  though  God  has  no 
want  of  our  goods,  yet  has  He  so  much  care  of 
what  we  do,  that  He  commands  some  things  to 
be  done,  and  forbids  other  things:  without  whose 
care,  not  so  much  as  one  sparrow  falls  to  the 
earth,  five  of  which  are  sold  for  two  farthings." 
Page  348. 

"That  Luther  may  understand  that  this  Sac- 
rament is  no  new  thing,  or  vain  fiction ;  but  that 
it  is  so  far  from  being  void  of  grace,  that  it 
confers  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  truth:  we  will 
here  relate  what  St.  Hierom  has  written  of  this 
Sacrament  of  Confirmation.  'If  the  bishop  im- 
pose his  hands,  it  is  on  them  who  have  been  bap- 
tized in  the  true  faith,  who  have  believed  in  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  three  Persons  and 
one  substance.  But  the  Arian,  who  believes  in 
no  other  (stop  your  ears,  that  you  may  not  be 
polluted  with  the  words  of  such  monstrous  im- 
piety), but  in  the  Father  alone,  in  Jesus  Christ 
as  a  creature,  in  the  Holy  Ghost  as  servant  to 
both;  how  shall  he  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  from 
the  Church,    who    has  not  as  yet   obtained    remis- 

121 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

sion  of  his  sins?  For  the  Holy  Ghost  inhabits 
not,  but  where  faith  is  pure,  nor  remains  but  in 
that  Church  which  has  true  faith  for  her  guide. 
If  in  this  place,  you  ask  why  he  that  is  baptized 
in  the  Church,  receives  not  the  Holy  Ghost  but 
by  the  hands  of  the  bishop?  Learn,  that  this 
observation  is  descended  from  this  authority; 
because,  after  our  Lord's  ascension,  the  Holy 
Ghost  descended  on  the  Apostles,  and  we  find 
the  same  to  have  been  done  in  many  places/ 
Hitherto  St.  Hierom.  Which  sentence  is  also 
confirmed  by  divers  passages  in  the  Scripture, 
and  particularly  by  that  in  the  Acts,  which  shews 
that  the  people  baptized  before  in  Samaria, 
received  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  Peter  and  John 
came  among  them,  and  laid  their  hands  upon 
them.  I,  therefore,  admire  how  it  should  come  into 
Luther's  mind  to  dispute,  that  Confirmation  is 
only  to  be  accounted  a  rite  and  a  ceremony,  and 
deny  it  to  be  a  Sacrament;  when  it  is  demon- 
strated, not  only  by  the  testimony  of  holy  Fa- 
thers, and  by  the  faith  of  the  whole  Church,  but 
also  by  clear  passages  of  Scripture ;  that  not  only 
grace,  but  also,  the  very  Spirit  of  Grace,  is  con- 
ferred by  the  visible  sign  of  the  bishop's  imposi- 
tion of  hands.  Let  Luther  therefore  forbear  to  con- 
demn any  more  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation, 
which  the  dignity  of  the  minister,  the  authority 
of  the  Church,  and  the  profit  of  the  Sacrament  it- 
self, commend.''     Pages  360,  362. 

122 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


"This  Sacrament,  saith  the  Apostle,  is  great 
in  Christ  and  the  Church.  How  could  he  have 
more  evidently  refuted  Luther,  than  by  these 
words,  which  he  so  impertinently  scoffs  at,  in 
contending  that  the  Apostle  had  taken  away  the 
Sacrament  from  the  marriage  of  man  and  wife, 
by  saying,  'This  Sacrament  is  great  in  Christ  and 
His  Church?*  As  if  he  should,  by  saying,  the 
Sacrament  of  baptism  is  great  in  the  washing  of 
the  soul,  deny  the  baptism  of  the  body  to  be  a 
Sacrament ;  or,  as  if  he  should,  by  saying,  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  is  great  in  the  Body 
of  Christ,  deny  the  species  of  bread  and  wine  to 
be  a  Sacrament;  or,  as  if  by  saying,  that  the 
Sacrament  is  great  in  the  mystical  Body  of  Christ, 
he  should  detract  the  Sacrament  from  the  Body 
which  He  took  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  Who  has 
ever  seen  any  man  swell  with  greater  pride  for 
so  frivolous  a  gloss?  For  if  the  Apostle  had  been 
of  his  opinion,  and  willing  his  words  should  be 
so  interpreted,  as  to  show  this  Sacrament  to  be 
great  only  in  Christ  and  His  Church,  without  any 
reference  at  all  to  the  marriage  of  man  and 
wife;  it  would  lessen  the  force  of  the  weight  of  all 
those  things,  whereby,  in  that  comparison  of  the 
two  conjunctions,  he  had  before  commended  mar- 
riage."    Pages   372,  374. 

"But  his  (Luther's)  denying  Orders  to  be  a 
Sacrament,  is  as  it.  were  the  fountain  of  all  the 
rest;  which,    being    once    stopped    up,    the    other 

123 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

small  springs  must  of  necessity  come  dry  of  them- 
selves. 'This  Sacrament  (says  he)  is  not  known 
to  the  Church  of  Christ,  but  has  been  invented  by 
the  Church  of  the  Pope.'  In  these  few  words  are 
contained  a  great  heap  of  absurdities  and  lies:  for 
he  makes  distinction  between  Christ's  Church, 
and  the  Pope's;  whereas  the  Pope  is  Christ's 
Vicar,  in  that,  over  which  Christ  is  the  head.  He 
says  the  Church  has  invented;  when  it  has 
received  it  as  already  instituted,  and  therefore 
has  not  invented  it.  'This  Sacrament  (he  says) 
is  unknown  to  the  Church  of  Christ;'  whereas 
it  is  most  certain,  that  all  parts  of  the  world, 
which  have  the  true  faith  of  Christ,  have  Orders 
for  a  Sacrament."     Page  398. 

"Otherwise,  if  Luther  persists  in  his  distinc- 
tion of  the  Pope's  Church,  from  Christ's;  and  in 
saying  that  the  one  has  Orders  for  a  Sacrament, 
the  other  not;  let  him  shew  us  the  Church  of 
Christ,  which,  contrary  to  the  faith  of  the  Papal 
Church,  (as  he  calls  it)  knows  not  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Order.  In  the  meanwhile  it  appears  evi- 
dently, that,  by  asserting  this  Sacrament  to  be 
unknown  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  that  they 
are  not  of  Christ's  Church  who  are  governed  by 
the  Pope;  he  separates,  by  both  these  reasons, 
from  Christ's  Church,  not  only  Rome,  but  also  all 
Italy,  Germany,  Spain,  France,  Britain,  and  all 
other  nations,  which  obey  the  See  of  Rome;  or 
have  Orders  for  a  Sacrament.     Which  people,  be- 

124 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


ing  by  him  taken  from  the  Church  of  Christ; 
it  consequently  follows,  that  he  must  either  con- 
fess Christ's  Church  to  be  in  no  place  at  all,  or 
else,  like  the  Donatists,  he  must  reduce  the  Cath- 
olic Church  to  two  or  three  heretics  whispering 
in  a  corner  /'  Pages  398,  400.  "All  men  do  unan- 
imously confess,  (Luther  only  excepted)  that  the 
Apostles  were  by  our  Savior  ordained  Priests  at 
His  Last  Supper;  where  it  plainly  appears,  that 
power  was  given  them  to  consecrate  the  Body 
of  Christ,  which  power  the  Priest  alone  hath.  'But, 
says  Luther,  it  is  not  a  Sacrament,  because  there 
is  no  grace  promised  therein/  But  pray,  how, 
or  whence  has  he  this  knowledge?  'Because  (says 
he)  it  is  not  read  in  the  Scripture!'  This  is  his 
usual  consequence:  'It  is  not  written  in  the  Gos- 
pels, therefore  has  it  not  been  done  by  Christ/ 
Which  form  of  reasoning  the  Evangelist  over- 
throws, when  he  says,  Many  things  were  done, 
which  are  not  written  in  this  book."  Pages  404, 
406. 

"In  this  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction;  that 
Luther  might  be  twice  dirided  himself,  he  twice 
scoffs  the  Church :  first,  because  Divines,  (says 
he)  do  call  this  Unction  a  Sacrament;  (as  if  those 
he  calls  Divines  were  the  only  men  who  call  it  a 
Sacrament).  Again,  because  they  call  it  Ex- 
treme; to  which,  as  to  the  second,  he  himself 
objects,  after  a  joking  manner,  what  he  can 
never  answer  in  earnest:    For  it  might  be  rightly 

125 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

called  Extreme  as  being  the  last  of  four.  After- 
wards, to  shew  that  it  is  no  Sacrament,  himself 
first  objects,  what  he  forsees  everybody  will  ob- 
ject against  him,  viz.  the  words  of  St.  James  the 
Apostle,  'If  any  be  sick  amongst  you,  let  him 
send  for  the  Priests  of  the  Church,  and  let  them 
pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil,  in  the  name 
of  our  Lord:  and  the  prayer  of  the  faithful 
will  save  the  sick,  and  our  Lord  will  raise  him 
up;  and  if  he  be  in  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven 
him/  These  words,  (which,  according  to  his  own 
definition,  most  apparently  testify  Extreme  Unc- 
tion to  be  a  Sacrament,  as  wanting  neither  a  vis- 
ible sign,  nor  promise  of  grace)  he  immediately 
begins,  with  most  impudent  confidence,  to  diride; 
as  if  they  were  of  no  manner  of  force.  'For  my 
part,  (says  he)  I  say,  that  if  ever  there  was  folly 
acted,  it  is  especially  in  this  place/  And  I,  again 
on  the  contrary  do  affirm,  that  if  ever  Luther 
was  mad  at  any  time,  (as  indeed  his  madness 
appears  almost  in  every  place),  he  is  certainly 
distracted  here,  in  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unc- 
tion, to  an  extreme  height  of  madness.'*  Pages 
430,  432.  "But  though,  as  I  said,  I  admire  why 
Luther  should  be  so  much  displeased  at  St.  James's 
Epistle;  yet,  having  read  it  more  attentively,  I 
wonder  not  at  all :  for,  by  the  Apostle's  writings, 
I  find  that  he  so  narrowly  touches  Luther  every- 
where, as  if,  by  his  prophetic  spirit,  he  had 
plainly   forseen   him.      For,    when     Luther    under 

126 


THE  LUTHERAN  CHURCH 


the  pretext  of  faith,  despises  good  works;  St. 
James  on  the  other  side,  disputes,  by  reason, 
Scripture,  and  example,  'that  faith  without  works, 
is  dead/  Nor  is  it  in  one  place  alone,  that  by 
bitter  words,  he  resists  that  prattling  petulancy 
of  Luther:  'If  any  one  (says  he)  esteem  himself 
religious,  not  bridling  his  tongue,  but  seducing 
his  own  heart,  his  religion  is  vain.'  Besides 
Luther  frets  at  this,  which  he  sees  very  fitly  may 
be  applied  to  his  own  tongue.  The  tongue  is  a 
restless  evil,  full  of  deadly  poison.  Finally  he 
perceives  that  what  the  Apostle  has  writ  against 
contentious  person  is  truly  spoken  against 
his  own  opinions.  'For  (says  the  Apostle)  who 
is  wise  and  well  disciplined  among  you?  Let 
him  show  forth  his  works  by  a  good  conversation, 
in  the  meekness  of  wisdom ;  because  if  you  have 
the  zeal  of  souls,  and  contentions  be  in  your 
hearts,  do  not  glory,  being  liars  against  the  truth. 
For  this  is  not  wisdom  descending  from  above, 
from  the  Father  of  Lights,  but  an  earthly,  beastly, 
and  diabolical  wisdom:  for  where  zeal  is  joined 
with  contentions,  there  also  is  inconstancy,  and 
every  naughty  work.  But  the  wisdom  which  is 
from  above,  is  first  of  all  shamefaced,  then  peace- 
able, modest,  compilable,  agreeing  with  good 
things,  full  of  mercy  and  good  works,  judging  with- 
out dissimulation.  And  the  fruit  of  justice  is  sown 
in  peace  to  the  workers  of  peace.'  These,  gentle 
reader,  are    words  which    move  Luther    to  wrath 

127 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

against  the  Apostle:  these,  I  say,  are  the  words 
whereby  the  Apostle  as  openly  touches  Luther's 
petulancy,  railings,  wicked  and  contentious  ob- 
jections; even  as  if  he  had  seen  him,  and  read  his 
words.  I  question  not  but  this  Epistle,  though 
never  so  much  despised  by  Luther,  will  sufficient- 
ly prove  to  all  Christians  the  Sacrament  of  Ex- 
treme Unction."  "Defence  of  the  Seven  Sacra- 
ments." Pages  446,  448,  450. 

King  Henry  VIII.  concludes  his  Defence  of 
the  Seven  Sacraments  with  these  memorable 
words:  "But  I  beseech  and  entreat  all  other 
Christians,  and  through  the  bowls  of  Christ, 
(whose  faith  we  profess,)  to  turn  away  their 
ears  from  the  impious  words  and  not  to  foster 
schisms  and  discords,  especially  at  this  time  when 
most  particularly  it  behooves  Christians  to  be 
concordant  against  the  enemies  of  Christ.  Do  not 
listen  to  the  insults  and  detractions  against  the 
Vicar  of  Christ  which  the  fury  of  the  little  monk 
spews  up  against  the  Pope;  nor  contaminate 
breasts  sacred  to  Christ  with  impious  heresies, 
for  if  one  sews  these  he  has  no  charity,  swells 
with  vain  glory,  loses  his  reason  and  burns  with 
envy.  Finally  with  what  feelings  they  would 
stand  together  against  the  Turks,  against  the 
Saracens,  against  anything  infidel  anywhere,  with 
the  same  feelings  they  should  stand  together 
against  this  one  little  monk  weak  in  strength, 
but  in  temper  more  harmful  than  all  Turks,  all 
Saracens,  all  infidels  anywhere."     Page  462. 

128 


THE  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

The  history  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  also 
called  Anglican  Church,  starts  with  the  com- 
plicated love-story  of  an  indecent,  lustful,  ruth- 
less, and  brutal  king.  Henry  VIII.  of  England 
secretly  married  Anne  Bokyn,  whilst  Catherine, 
his  lawful  wife,  was  still  living.  A  few  months 
later  Cranmer,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Henry's 
servile  creature,  pronounced  the  king's  first  mar- 
riage null  and  void.  In  the  same  year  1533  Pope 
Clement  VII.  annulled  the  decision  of  Cranmer 
and  threatened  the  king  with  excommunication,  if 
he  should  fail  within  three  months  to  restore 
Catherine  of  Aragon  to  her  rights  and  dignity 
as  queen.  The  three  months  passed. 
The  king  spurned  the  papal  threat.  The 
following  year,  March  23,  the  Holy  Father  de- 
clared the  second  marriage  of  Henry  VIII.  invalid. 
Thereupon  Henry  VIII.  forced  the  Parliament, 
and  Convocation  in  spring  1534  to  make 
the  king,  instead  of  the  Pope,  the  spiritual 
head  of  the  Church  of  England.  During  the  No- 
vember session,  1534,  his  will  was  literally  exe- 
cuted by  the  following  enactment:  "Be  it  en- 
acted by  the  authority  of  this  present  Parliament, 
that  the  king,  our  sovereign  lord,  his  heirs  and 
successors,  kings  of  this  realm,  shall  be  taken, 
accepted  and  reputed  the  only  supreme  head  on 
earth  of  the    Church  of   England  called   Anglicana 

129 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

Ecclesia.''  A  formal  renunciation  of  fealty  to  th§ 
Pope  followed  the  ensuing  year.  An  immoral 
king  caused  the  secession  of  England  from  the 
true  Church. 

The  Church  of  England,  as  a  separate  church, 
dates  back  to  the  year  1534.  A  chasm  of  over 
fifteen  hundred  years  yawns  between  the  origin 
of  the  true  Church  and  the  scandalous  establish- 
ment of  the  Episcopal  Church.  The  Church,  which 
Jesus  founded,  has  existed  about  nineteen  hundred 
years ;  but  the  Episcopal  Church  is  scarce- 
ly four  hundred  years  old.  It  is  not  the  true 
Church,  nor  by  any  means  a  branch  of  the  same. 
It  has  a  purely  human  origin.  History  proves 
that  the  origin   is  only  too  human. 

In  the  year  1554,  through  the  influence  of 
Cardinal  Pole,  England  was  reunited  with  Rome. 
The  whole  nation  with  very  few  exceptions  re- 
joiced over  this  reunion  with  the  Holy  See.  But 
the  hope  of  religious  peace  was  nipped  in  the  bud. 

In  1559,  the  Parliament  upon  the  advice  of 
the  notorious  queen  Elizabeth  reimposed  the  oath 
of  supremacy  to  be  taken  to  the  queen  in  all  relig- 
ious matters,  abolished  the  sacrifice  of  Mass  under 
penalties  of  confiscation  and  death.  The  bishops 
refused  to  accept  such  an  imposition.  Some  3,594 
parishes  were  deprived  of  their  pastors,  because 
these  pastors  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  spiritual 
supremacy  to  the  ungodly  queen.  (Together  with 
almost  all,   the   Cardinal,    Bishops  and    Priests   re- 

130 


THE   EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


mained    loyal    to    the  Pope).     They  were   deposed 
and   imprisoned. 

Thereupon  Queen  Elizabeth  "through  the 
plenitude  of  her  ecclesiastical  authority,"  invested 
Matthew  Parker  as  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 
Parker  was  consecated  by  the  heretical  ex-bishop 
Barlow,  who  probably  was  never  validly  conse- 
crated himself,  and  who  moreover  used  the  cor- 
rupted Ordinal  of  Cranmer,  without  believing  in 
the  Church,  in  the  Sacraments  and  in  the  Sacrifice 
of  the  Mass.  From  Parker  all  Anglican  ordina- 
tions are  derived.  His  ordination  and  that  of  all 
Anglican  clergymen    is  simply  invalid. 

Though  some  Episcopalians  love  to  appro- 
priate the  name  of  Catholic  and  have  many  doc- 
trines and  practices  in  common  with  the  Catholic 
Church,  it  is  in  no  way  a  branch  of  the  same. 
It  was  a  live-branch  as  long  as  it  adhered  to  the 
tree  of  life.  But  it  separated  itself  entirely  from 
the  tree,  from  the  head  and  body  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  is  now  in  all  reality  a  slave  of  the  civil 
power. 

From  1588  until  the  death  of  CJueen  Eliza- 
beth, a  period  of  fourteen  years,  Catholics  were 
most  cruelly  persecuted,  the  best  of  them  were 
consigned  to  the  scaffold  for  no  other  reason  than 
their  fidelity  to  the  Catholic  Church.  They  were 
simply  butchered.  Their  homes  were  confiscated. 
Priests  were  hunted  down  and  when  caught  were 
tortured  to  death.     Ordinary  Catholic  people  lost 

131 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

their  possession  and  citizenship  for  the  reason 
that  they  attended  Mass,  or  professed  their  loy- 
alty to  the  Holy  Father.  "Some  had  their  ears 
bored  with  a  hot  iron;  others  were  publicly 
whipped."  Lingard's  History  of  England,  Vol. 
5;  Page  515.  For  further  information  of  the 
cruelties  enacted  against  law-abiding  Catholics 
during  the  reign  of  Elizabeth  see  Lingard's  His- 
tory of  England,  Vol.  V.,  Pages  513-516. 

The  Church  of  England  is  divided  into  "High 
Church,"  "Low  Church"  and   "Broad   Church." 

The  "High  Church"  Anglicans  regard  the 
Church  as  a  visible  body  organized  under  an 
equal  confederated  episcopal  hierarchy.  There- 
fore they  do  not  admit  a  supreme  visible  head. 
They  believe  in  the  seven  Sacraments  and  in  the 
power  and  authority  of  their  bishops  and  lower 
clergy,  whom  they  love  to  call  priests.  By  their 
much-vaunted  "branch  theory,"  they  attempt  to 
prove  the  apostolic  succession  of  their  bishops 
through  the  Catholic  Church,  which  they  prefer 
to  call  the  Roman  Catholic  branch. 

Ever  since  the  "Tractarian  Movement," 
which  began  at  Oxford  in  1833  and  flourished 
under  Pusey  and  Newman,  the  High  Church 
through  the  study  of  the  Fathers  has  come  back 
to  many  Catholic  tenets  and  practices. 

In  consequence  of  this  movement  some  re- 
turned to  the  Catholic  Church;  others  copying 
most    of    our  doctrines,    practices    and    ritual    ser- 

132 


THE   EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


vices  without  admitting  the  primacy  of  the  Pope 
and  thus  without  entering  the  Catholic  Church 
imitate  it  as  closely  as  possible.  They  are  known 
by  the  name  of  "Ritualists."  Many  of  these  rit- 
ualists lean  towards  union  with  the  Holy  See, 
and  it  is  these  that  furnish  most  of  the  converts 
to  the   Church. 

The  "Low  Church''  looks  on  the  Christian 
Church  as  an  invisible  society  united  by  a  purely 
spiritual  bond;  it  denies  the  efficacy  of  the  Sac- 
raments. 

The  "Broad  Church"  Anglicans  advocate  most 
liberal  toleration  of  conflicting  doctrines  and  prac- 
tices   in  the  English  Church. 

Thanks  to  the  grace  of  God  and  the  deep 
studies  which  many  of  the  Episcopal  ministers 
are  making  of  late,  very  many  Episcopalians  of 
all  ranks  have  returned  to  the  Catholic  Faith.  In 
October,  1909,  a  whole  religious  community  of 
Episcopal  Friars  and  Sisters  at  Graymoor,  N.  Y., 
came  over  in  a  body  to  the  Catholic  Church.  Since 
that  time  another  community  of  Sisters  has  fol- 
lowed their  example. 

These  converts  have  one  advantage :  they 
know  of  the  existence  of  seven  Sacraments  and 
many  practices  of  the  Church  ere  they  enter;  for 
the  High  Church  Episcopals  believe  in  seven 
sacraments,  recite  prayers,  attend  vespers  and 
conduct  devotions  very  similar  to  those  of  the 
Catholic  Church.  The  membership  of  the  Epis- 
copal Church  is  rated  at  29,200,000. 

133 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

The  clergy  of  the  High  Church  and  of  the 
Ritualistic  Movement  receive  a  good  solid  educa- 
tion. Many  of  them  lead  a  life  of  voluntary  cel- 
ibacy. Let  us  hope  that  the  better  members  of 
the  Anglican  establishment,  who  pray  for  the 
unity  of  the  Church,  may  soon  enter  the  true 
fold  of  Christ  and  find  rest  of  soul.  A  prayer 
for  the  conversion  of  England  is  strictly  in  ac- 
cord with  the  cordial  wish  of  our  Holy  Father. 
Since  of  late  years  many  members  of  the  Anglican 
Church  venerate  the  Blessed  Virgin  by  the  daily 
recital  of  the  rosary,  we  have  reasons  to  hope 
that  the  ever-increasing  influx  from  this  denom- 
ination into  the  Catholic  Church  may  continue: 
that  many  Episcopalians  may  find  rest  and  se- 
curtiy  in    the    Catholic    Church. 

After  a  thorough  inquiry  into  the  claims 
of  Anglican  Orders,  Pope  Leo  XIII.,  in  1896, 
came  to  the  "settled  and  irrevocable"  conclusion 
that  they  are  "utterly  null  and  void." 

All  Anglicans,  who  sincerely  wish  a  reunion 
of  the  Episcopal  with  the  Catholic  Church, 
must  return  unconditionally  to  the  Church,  from 
which  their  good  ancestors  were  forced  to  sepa- 
ate  themselves  by  a  brutal  king  and  then  again  by 
a  wicked  queen  and  an  unscrupulous  Parliament. 
With  a  maternal  solicitude,  the  Catholic  Church, 
as  a  good  mother,  awaits  the  return  of  her  once 
fair  daughter  of  England. 


134 


PRESBYTERIANISM. 

As  a  system  of  church  government,  Presby- 
terianism  took  shape  in  the  "Institutes"  of  John 
Calvin.  They  assert  that  the  government  of  the 
church  belongs  to  the  elders  instead  of  to  the 
bishops.  The  presbyteries,  or  associations  of 
teaching  and  ruling  elders,  constitute  the  govern- 
ing body.  Without  believing  in  the  Sacrament 
of  Holy  Orders,  these  elders  impose  their  hands 
upon  the  candidates  and  then  call  that  ordination. 
Their  highest  court  is  the  "General  Assembly" 
composed  of  an  equal  number  of  ministers  and 
ruling  elders,  delegated  by  the  presbyters. 

John  Calvin  is  the  accredited  founder  of  the 
Presbyterian  sect.  John  Knox  (d.  1572),  one  of  his 
disciples,  a  degraded  apostate  priest,  who  on  ac- 
count of  his  implication  in  the  assassination  of 
Cardinal  Beaton,  1546,  was  chained  to  the  gal- 
leys and  served  as  prisoner  for  a  year  and  a  half. 
When  released  he  began  to  preach  Calvinistic  doc- 
trines and  thus  established  Presbyterianism  in 
Scotland.  He  agitated  with  might  and  main 
against  the  Catholic  Church,  against  the  holy  sac- 
rifice of  the  Mass,  and  all  distinctly  Catholic  prac- 
tices. In  his  fury  against  the  Church,  he  roused 
the  people  by  inflammatory  harangues  to  a  pitch  of 
frenzy,  encouraged  them  to  enter  the  churches  by 
violence,  to  break  tKe  images  of  the  saints  and  even 
those   of  our    Lord,  to  sack  the   churches   and  set 

135 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

■on  fire  the  monasteries.  This  was  done  by  the 
people  of  Perth.  "The  work  of  vandal  destruction 
spread  over  a  great  part  of  the  country.  Among 
the  historical  edifices  destroyed  was  the  Carthu- 
sian monastery  of  Perth,  the  burial  place  of  kings 
and  queens,  the  magnificent  cathedral  at  St.  An- 
drew's, and  the  venerable  abbey  and  palace  of 
Scone,  where  the  Scottish  kings  had  been  anointed 
and  crowned  for  centuries.  The  lords  of  the  Con- 
gregation received  an  important  accession  in  the 
persons  of  Lord  James  Stuart,  the  half-brother  of 
Mary  Stuart,  and  the  earl  of  Argyle,  who  became 
the  heads  of  the  revolutionary  movement.  Burn- 
ing and  destroying  on  their  way,  the  lords 
marched  upon  Edinburgh,  sacked  and  demolished 
every  religious  edifice  in  the  city,  robbed  the 
royal  treasury  and  took  possession  of  the  mint." 
Guggenberger  History  of  the  Christian  Era,  Vol. 
2;   Page   216. 

Now  this  John  Knox,  the  instigator  of  van- 
dalism, bloodshed  and  rebellion  is  the  acknowl- 
edged champion  of  Presbyterianism.  The  open  en- 
■emies  of  the  Catholic  Church  honor  him  as  one  of 
the  greatest  reformers  that  ever  lived.  But  history 
is  a  stubborn  recounter  of  actual  facts.  "The 
evil  that  men  do  lives  after  them." 

In  his  flattering  history  of  Presbyterianism, 
William  H.  Lyon,  the  author  of  "A  Study  of  the 
Sects,"  makes  the  following  statements :  "As  a  sect 
its    most  remarkable  history  and   influence  was  in 

136 


PRESBYTERIANISM 


Scotland,  where  its  champion  was  John  Knox. 
It  became  to  the  country  what  Episcopalianism 
was  in  England, — the  rallying  point  of  the  nation 
against  the  ecclesiastical  and  political  tyranny  of 
Rome.  In  1560  it  became  the  Church  of  the 
kingdom ;  equally  hostile  to  Catholicism,  which  it 
made  punishable  by  death,  and  to  Protestant  dis- 
senters." 

The  alleged  ecclesiastical  and  political  tyranny 
of  Rome  has  its  origin  in  the  over-heated  brains 
of  disgruntled,  excommunicated  public  sinners  and 
in  the  unbalanced  minds  of  avowed  bigots  and  per- 
secutors of  the  Catholic  Church. 

Calvin's  unfounded  assertions  are  to  a  great 
extent  the  doctrines  of  the  Presbyterian  sects. 
He  maintains  that  God  had  ordained  the  fall 
of  man.  As  he  says:  "Cadit  igitur  homo,  Dei 
providentia  sic  ordinante;"  which  means,  "Man 
fell,  because  the  Providence  of  God  ordained  it 
so."  Institut.,  Lib.  3.  Whereas  Holy  Scripture 
plainly  indicates  that  Adam  fell  by  the  abuse  of 
his  freedom :  he  voluntarily  ate  of  the  forbidden 
fruit.  Calvin,  however,  makes  God  the  author 
of  that  sin.  To  impute  a  sin  to  God  is  blasphemy. 
Calvin  gives  the  following  explanation  of  predes- 
tination: "We  call  predestination  that  enternal  de- 
cree of  God,  whereby  He  hath  determined  what 
the  fate  of  every  man  should  be.  For  not  to  the  same 
destiny  are  all  created:  for,  to  some  is  allotted 
eternal    life ;    to    others    eternal    damnation.      Ac- 

137 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

cording  as  a  man  is  made  for  one  end  or  for  the 
other,  we  call  him  predestined  to  life,  or  to  death." 
Lib.  3,    P.  337. 

From  this  and  many  other  passages  of  Calvin's 
own  writings  it  is  evident  that  he  taught  abso- 
lute predestination  and  reprobation.  His  teaching 
concerning  predestination  may  be  summarized  in 
this  sentence:  Do  what  you  please  God  will  send 
you  to  heaven  or  to  hell,  not  in  consequence  of 
your  work,  but  simply  because  of  His  immutable 
eternal  decree.  Predestination  of  this  kind  is  one 
of  the  distinctive  teachings  of  the  Presbyterian 
denomination.  In  order  to  justify,  as  they  think, 
their  predestination  theory,  Presbyterians  are 
wont  to  quote  St.  Paul.  But  St.  Paul  never  even 
hints  at  a  predestined  eternal  damnation.  Their 
iavorite  text  taken  from  St.  Paul's  epistle  to  the 
Ephesians  is  the  following:  "Blessed  be  the  God 
and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath 
blessed  us  with  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly 
places,  in  Christ:  as  he  chose  us  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy 
and  unspotted  in  his  sight  in  charity.  Who  hath 
predestined  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children 
through  Jesus  Christ  unto  himself:  according  to 
the  purpose  of  his  will :  unto  the  praise  of  the 
glory  of  his  grace,  in  which  he  hath  graced  us  in 
his  beloved  son.  In  whom  we  have  redemption 
through  his  blood,  the  remission  of  sins,  accord- 
ing  to  the  riches   of   his  grace,  which  hath   super- 

138 


PRESBYTERIANISM 


abounded  in  us  in  all  wisdom  and  prudence,  that 
he  might  make  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of 
his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which 
he  hath  purposed  in  him,  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  fullness  of  times,  to  re-establish  all  things  in 
Christ,  that  are  in  heaven  and  on  earth,  in  him. 
In  whom  we  also  are  called  by  lot,  being  pre- 
destinated according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who 
worketh  all  things  according  to  the  counsel  of  his 
will.  That  we  may  be  unto  the  praise  of  his  glory, 
we  who  before  hoped  in  Christ:  In  whom  you 
also,  after  you  had  heard  the  word  of  truth,  (the 
gospel  of  your  salvation ;)  in  whom  also  believing, 
you  were  signed  with  the  holy  Spirit  of  promise, 
who  is  the  pledge  of  our  inheritance,  unto  the  re- 
demption of  acquisition,  unto  the  praise  of  his 
glory."  Eph.  1 ;  3-14.  In  this  whole  passage 
St.  Paul  not  even  alludes  to  it  that  God  had  ever 
predestined  any  body  for  hell.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  hell  is  a  punishment  for  mortal  sins:  for  bad 
acts  wilfully  committed.  The  wilful  abuse  of  rea- 
son and  free  will  deserve  punishment. 

In  harmony  with  his  unchristian  theory  of 
fatal  predestination,  Calvin  holds  that  sanctify- 
ing grace  is  distinct  and  separate  from  the  Sacra- 
ment of  baptism,  as  a  visible  sign,  and  that  this 
grace  is  only  given  to  those  who  are  predestined 
for  heaven,  and  withheld  from  those  whom  Cal- 
vin by  an  imaginary  eternal  decree  predestines 
for  hell. 


139 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

Besides  baptism,  Presbyterians  also  believe 
in  the  Lord's  Supper.  But  in  this  as  well  as  in 
the  other  Sacrament  do  they  separate  sanctify- 
ing grace  from  the  actual  reception  of  the  Sacra- 
ment. If  a  non-elect  person  receives  the  Lord's 
Supper,  he  receives  but  bread  and  wine;  but  if 
the  justified  receive  the  same  species  they  re- 
ceive Jesus  Christ  spiritually.  Presbyterians  do  not 
believe  in  a  bodily  presence  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
Blessed   Eucharist. 

Since  no  Presbyterian  minister  as  such  re- 
ceived valid  ordination,  or  the  Sacrament  of  Holy 
Orders,  none  of  them  has  the  power  to  conse- 
crate, to  change  bread  and  wine  into  the  body 
and  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore  when 
Presbyterians  receive  what  they  call  the  Lord's 
-Supper,  they  actually  do  not  receive  anything 
but  bread  and  wine.  They  receive  nothing 
spiritually  except  punishment  for  thus  violently 
.misinterpreting  the  plain  words  of  Jesus  Christ: 
"This  is  my  body,  which  shall  be  delivered  for 
you :  this  do  for  the  commemoration  of  me.  In 
like  manner  also  the  chalice,  after  he  had  supped, 
saying:  This  chalice  is  the  new  testament  in 
my  blood :  this  do  ye,  as  often  as  you  shall  drink, 
for  the  commemoration  of  me."  1  Cor.  11;  24, 
.25.  "This  is  my  body,  which  shall  be  delivered 
for  you ;"  therefore  it  is  in  all  reality  (and  not 
in  spirit  only)  the  same  body  which  was  deliv- 
ered for  us  on  the  cross,  the  day  following. 

140 


PRESBYTERIANISM 


Like  the  Lutheran  denomination,  Presbyter- 
ianism  is  divided  into  very  many  sects,  each  of 
them  differing  from  the  other.  We  hear  of  "Reg- 
ular Presbyterians,*  "Old  School  Presbyterian/' 
"New  School  Presbyterian,"  "Associated  Presby- 
terian,'' "Reformed  Presbyterian,"  "Northern  Pres- 
byterian,"  etc. 

The  World's  Almanac  of  1911  estimates  the 
number  of  Presbyterians  at  12,250,000.  However, 
Dr.  W.  H.  Lyon  is  statistically  more  correct  when 
he  asserts,  "There  are  said  to  be  over  20,000,000 
Presbyterians  in  the  world,  including,  however,  the 
Reformed  churches." 

That  the  Presbyterian  denominations  cannot 
lay  claim  to  a  divine  origin  is  conclusively  proved 
by  history.  As  a  rule  Presbyterians  are  laboring 
under  many  prejudices  against  the  Catholic 
Church,  though  some  of  them  are  fair-minded  and 
friendly  toward  the  Catholics.  Sincere  converts 
from  Presbyterianism  to  Catholicism  are  becom- 
ing more  numerous  from  year  to  year.  In  the 
book  "Distinguished  Converts  to  Rome  in  Amer- 
ica" (published  1907),  we  find  twenty-four  Pres- 
byterians, among  them  six  Presbyterian  ministers 
and  five  sons  and  two  daughters  of  ministers. 


141 


CONGREGATIONALISTS. 

Owing  to  the  influence  of  radical  Protestant- 
ism, several  of  the  ministers  and  members  of  the 
State  Church  of  England  were  dissatisfied  with 
the  retention  of  so  many  Catholic  rites,  ceremon- 
ies, and  practices,  which  they  considered  "popish 
tendencies."  Thus  innumerable  factions  arose 
with  the  avowed  tendency  of  purifying  the  An- 
glican Church  of  all  ceremonies  and  practices, 
which  to  them  seemed  unsqriptural.  These  Puri- 
tans went  so  far  as  to  decry  as  adolatry  the  wear- 
ing of  a  surplice,  the  use  of  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
kneeling  at  Communion,  and  invoking  the  saints. 

In  spite  of  fines,  imprisonment,  tortures,  and 
several  executions,  these  factions  increased  and 
were  known  as  Independents.  At  the  age  of 
thirty,  Robert  Brown  wrote  and  circulated  a  num- 
ber of  pamphlets  in  which  he  assailed  the  State 
Church  in  unmitigating  terms  and  propounded 
and  advocated  a  new  system  of  congregationally 
independent  church  government.  He  is  regarded 
as  the  Father  of  modern  Congregationalism.  His 
stay  in  England  being  very  unpleasant,  Brown 
with  some  followers  went  to  Holland.  Several 
congregations  were  organized  there,  of  which  that 
at  Leyden  under  the  pastorate  of  John  Robinson 
was  the  most  flourishing.  However,  a  stay  in 
Holland  seemed  undesirable  to  many  of  the  mem- 

142 


CONGREGATIONALISTS 


bers,  while  a  return  to  England  appeared  hopeless. 
In  this  predicament,  over  one  hundred  Puritans, 
or  Independents,  resolved  to  seek  a  peaceful  home 
in  the  New  World.  Under  the  leadership  of 
Elder  William  Brewster  and  Deacon  Carver  these 
"Pilgrim  Fathers"  set  sail  in  the  Mayflower,  and 
in  December,  1620,  finally  landed  at  Plymouth.  The 
Puritans  in  America  gradually  adopted  the  name 
of  Congregationalists. 

Though  history  informs  us  that  the  slightest 
dissent  with  their  preachers  on  Gospel  truth  was 
punished  with  scourging,  exile,  and  even  death, 
it  is  a  peculiarity  of  Congregationalism  that  each 
congregation  is  entirely  independent  of  any  other 
Congregational  community  and  that  neither  coun- 
cil, nor  synod,  nor  any  association  of  minister?  has 
any  right  to  prescribe  to  any  particular  congre- 
gation and  that  all  pastors  are  of  equal  rank  with 
regard  to  jurisdiction.  No  congregation  can  dic- 
tate to  another.  No  council  has  the  right  to  dic- 
tate, but  only  the  privilege  to  advise.  Every 
congregation  enjoys  autonomy.  The  spread  of 
Congregationalism  consists  in  a  multiplicaiion  of 
independent  parishes.  The  ministerial  associa- 
tion, the  ministers  in  general,  have  the  right  to 
sanction  or  to  reject  a  minister;  but  they  do  not 
make  the  appointments.  The  congregation  sends 
out  a  call  to  one  or  more  ministers  for  a  trial 
sermon.  If  he  meets  with  the  approval  of  the 
majority  of  the   congregation  he  may  be  accepted. 

143 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

The  natural  danger  in  such  a  system  is  that  the 
wealthier  classes  will  bear  undue  influence  on 
the  teaching  of  the  ministers.  In  their  endeavor 
to  eradicate  local  vices,  chastise  personal  scan- 
dals, and  warn  against  dangerous  amusements, 
as  well  as  in  their  doctrinal  sermons,  the  min- 
isters have  to  be  very  careful  not  to  offend;  other- 
wise their  services  will  be  no  further  required. 
In  short,  Congregationalists  assume  the  right  to 
do  as  they  please  and  hire  a  minister  for  the  pur- 
pose of  influencing  them  to  please  to  do  what  is 
right.  Now  if  the  minister  succeeds  in  this,  they 
are    both  doing  well. 

This  assertion  I  make  as  a  deduction  of  their 
parish  autonomy,  and  by  no  means  do  I  want  to 
insinuate  that  the  Congregationalists  are  in  any 
way  inferior  in  their  morality  or  piety  to  other 
Protestant    denominations. 

Congregationalists  believe  in  some  spiritual 
apostolicity  of  the  Church,  an  apostolicity,  they 
say,  which  has  nothing  to  do  with  personal  suc- 
cession. That  apostolicity,  they  claim,  was  not 
always  in  the  Church;  but  nevertheless  it  must 
have  existed  somewhere,  for  they  claim  to  pos- 
sess it  now,  even  though  they  did  not  exist  be- 
fore the  seventeenth  century.  Their  apostolic- 
ity, like  the  fancies  of  a  fairy  tale,  has  only  an 
imaginary  existence. 

Their  theology  at  first  was  strictly  Calvinistic, 
but    during    more  recent    times,  they  have    drifted 

144 


CONGREGATIONALISTS 


more  and  more  towards  rationalism  of  the  Uni- 
tarian type.  They  differ  from  the  Baptists  in 
conceding  to  parents  the  right  of  hav- 
ing    their      children     baptized      in     infancy. 

In  their  self-government,  they  differ  from 
all  earlier  denominations.  However,  they  imag- 
ine that  every  Christian  denomination  is  a  part 
of  the  one  true  Church,  though  not  as  purely  as 
their  own.  According  to  their  theory,  all  Christians 
belong  to  the  spiritual  catholic  church.  In  this 
sense  they  recite  the  words  of  the  Apostles'  Creed : 
"I  believe  in  the  one,  holy  catholic  church,  the 
communion   of  saints." 

That  there  was  no  such  parish  autonomy  in 
apostolic  times  is  evident  from  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  Since  Congregationalists  maintain  that 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  vouch  for  their  theory 
of  self-government,  I  deem  it  in  place  to  cite  a 
few  quotations  fiom  those  same  Acts  in  order  to 
show  that  they  make  a  mistake  in  trying  to  prove 
the  legitimacy  of  such  independent  government 
from  that  inspired  source.  "But  Paul  choosing 
Silas,  departed,  being  delivered  by  tin  brethren 
to  the  grace  of  God.  And  he  went  through  Syria 
and  Cilicia,  confirming  the  churches,  command- 
ing them  to  keep  the  precepts  of  the  apostles  and 
the  ancients."  Acts  15;  40,  41.  "And  as  they 
(Paul  and  Timothy)  passed  throug'h  the  cities, 
they  delivered  unto  them  the  decrees  for  to  keep, 
that      were       decreed       by       the       apostles      and 

145 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

ancients  who  were  at  Jerusalem."  Acts  16; 
4.  Not  the  congregation,  but  the  ancients 
of  the  church  of  Ephesus,  received  this  instruction 
from  St.  Paul:  "Take  heed  to  yourselves,  and 
to  the  whole  flock,  wherein  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
placed  you  bishops,  to  rule  the  church  of  God, 
which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood." 
Acts  20;  28. 

According  to  the  World  Almanac  of  1911,  the 
Congregationalists  of  all  descriptions  number  6,- 
150,000. 


146 


ANABAPTISTS. 

The  Anabaptists — so  called  on  account  of 
their  practice  of  rebaptizing  those  who  had  been 
baptized  in  infancy — followed  in  the  wake  of  Lu- 
theranism.  Nicholas  Storch,  a  cloth  weaver  and 
disciple  of  Luther,  began  to  preach  against  in- 
fant baptism  at  Zwickau,  Saxony.  From  among 
his  adherents  he  chose  twelve  apostles  and  seventy 
disciples.  In  the  year  1521  they  were  banished 
from  Zwickau  and  came  to  Wittenberg.  There 
Storch  posed  as  a  prophet,  pretended  to  have 
visions  and  prophetic  dreams,  denounced  all  pro- 
fane knowledge,  rejected  infant  baptism,  tried  to 
impress  his  hearers  with  the  alleged  necessity  of 
rebaptism  and  advocated  his  Free  Republic  of 
Christ,  a  commonwealth  without  either  ecclesias- 
tical or  civil  authority.  Thomas  Muenzer,  and 
Andreas  von  Bodenstein,  who  is  better  known  as 
Karlstadt,  the  name  of  his  birthplace,  Mark 
Thomas,  Mark  Stubner,  Martin  Cellarius,  and  a 
host  of  others  assisted  Storch  in  rousing  the  pop- 
ulace to  such  a  pitch  of  fanaticism  that  they  de- 
stroyed altars,  statues,  and  holy  pictures  in  the 
churches. 

"Undeniable  as  is  the  original  affinity  between 
the  Anabaptists  and  the  Lutherans,  yet  this  affin- 
ity soon  changed  into  a  mutual  opposition  the 
most    decided.       An    indescribable    confusion     pre- 

147 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

vailed  in  the  minds  of  the  new  sectaries,  and  a 
fearful  fanaticism  drove  them  on  to  every  species 
of  extravagance  and  violence;  and  as  they  had 
the  inmost  conviction  of  doing  all  things  by  the 
impulse  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  all  hope  of  opposing 
their  errors  by  rational  instruction  was  utterly 
fruitless.  Muenzer  was  deeply  implicated  in  the 
war  of  the  peasants."  J.  A.  Moehler,  Symbolism, 
Article  55. 

In  the  year  1522  Luther  left  the  Wartburg 
and  hastened  to  Wittenberg  to  denounce  and  oust 
the  fanatic  leaders,  Storch,  Muenzer,  and  Karl- 
stadt  from  that  city.  He  succeeded  in  banishing 
them. 

Thomas  Muenzer  started  a  commonwealth  in 
Mue'hlhausen,  led  his  people  to  war  and  was  de- 
feated. He  was  executed  in  the  year  1525,  having 
been  reconciled  with  the  Church. 

Storch  died  1525  at  Muinich;  Karlstadt  at 
Basel  in  the  year  1541. 

Louis  Hetzer,  another  Anabaptist  leader,  took 
twelve  wives  and  openly  defended  adultery  as 
pleasing  to  God.  He  was  beheaded  at  Constance 
1529. 

In  1534  the  Anabaptists  assumed  the  dicta- 
torship at  Muenster  in  Westphalia.  People  were 
rebaptized  in  crowds.  Those  who  refused  to 
submit  to  a  second  baptism  were  abused  and  ban- 
ished from  their  own  city.  They  joined  their 
Prince-Bishop  who  led  an  army  against  the  usurp- 

148 


ANABAPTISTS. 


ers  at  Muenster.  John  Bockelson  was  one  of  their 
principal  instigators.  John  von  Leyden  proudly 
conducted  himself  as  the  tyrant-king  of  the  New 
Sion  (Muenster).  He  had  seventeen  wives.  His 
fanaticism  rose  with  his  much  vaunted  success 
until  his  utter  defeat  in  1535.  John  von  Leyden 
was  executed  together  with  his  chancellor  Krecht- 
ing  and  the  "royal  executioner"  Knipperdolling. 
Their  bodies  were  placed  in  an  iron  cage  and 
suspended  from  the  steeple  of  St.  Lambertus 
church.  This  put  an  end  to  Anabaptism  at  Muen- 
ster. After  this  the  Anabaptists  were  persecuted 
everywhere;  and  for  a  number  of  years  their  his- 
tory was  written  in  the  blood  of  their  members. 

These  Anabaptists  had  announced  a  free  re- 
public of  Christ,  a  perfect  life,  in  which  neither 
rulers  nor  laws,  not  even  the  Bible  would  be 
needed,  but  wherein  the  moral  law  written  in 
man's  heart  would  be  the  guiding  norm  of  life. 
They  dreamt  of  perfect  equality  among  men,  of 
free  love,  and  the  abolition  of  all  hostilities  and 
wars  at  the  very  time  when  human  blood  flowed 
so  copiously  on  the  battle-fields.  These  Ana- 
baptists believed  themselves  destined  to  prepare 
the  way  for  the  approach  of  their  imaginary  mil- 
lennium. They  did  not  baptize  their  children, 
but  allowed  them  to  grow  up  in  the  state  of 
original  sin  exposed  to  tjie  danger  of  dying  de- 
prived of  sanctifying  grace.  Jesus  said  to  Nico- 
demus :     "Unless   a   man   be  born   again   of  water 

149 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
Hngdom  of  God."    St.  John  3 ;  5. 

For  an  Anabaptist  both  Baptism  and  the 
Holy  Eucharist  have  only  a  figurative  significa- 
tion. When  Jesus  Christ  tells  us  of  the  absolute 
necessity  of  Baptism  in  order  to  enter  the  king- 
dom of  God;  they  foist  their  foolish  opinion  of 
a  figurative  signification  upon  their  members. 
When  Jesus  Christ  plainly  says  with  reference 
to  the  Blessed  Eucharist:  This  is  my  Body;  This 
is  my  Blood;  they  maintain  that  it  is  only  a  figure 
and  a  sign  of  mutual  love,  the  same  as  any  ordi- 
nary banquet  or  luncheon. 

"With  peculiar  bitterness  did  these  sectarians 
declare  themselves  against  the  Lutheran  doctrine 
of  Justification,  and  in  this  respect,  they  almost 
come  round  to  the  Catholic  point  of  view."  J. 
A.  Moehler,  Symbolism,  Art.  57.  Some  of  them 
admitted  original  sin,  others  denied  it  in  order  to 
assail  infant  baptism.  Some  Anabaptists  denied 
the  divinity  of  Christ;  others,  that  He  received 
His  human  nature  from  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 
Some  asserted  that  finally  all  would  convert, 
not  even  excluding  the  devil  himself;  others  main- 
tained that  the  souls  of  the  departed  are  in  a  state 
of  sleep  until  judgment  day.  These,  however,  were 
the  opinions  which  some  Anabaptists  tried  to 
force  upon  the  faithful ;  but  as  the  learned  Moehler 
remarks  in  his  "Symbolism":  they  "should  not 
be    considered  as  strictly  Anabaptist;  for,  in    part, 

150 


ANABAPTISTS 


they  were  in  direct  opposition  to  other  maxims 
of  the  sect.  It  is,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  pre- 
sumed that  at  the  commencement,  amid  the  gen- 
eral religious  ferment  of  the  age,  a  multitude  of 
men  joined  the  Anabaptists  without  having  any- 
thing akin  to  them,  save  a  dark  fanaticism  and  con- 
fusion of  ideas.  But  in  general  the  remark  holds 
good  that  the  first  Anabaptists  had  neither  a  com- 
pact system  of  theology,  nor  any  body 
of  doctrines  however  ill-connected,  which  all 
uniformly  professed.  If  we  consider  that 
their  sect  had  not  originated  in  one  man 
as  the  common  center  of  all ;  and  that  the 
leading  idea,  round  which  all  revolved,  though 
powerful  enough  to  inspire  enthusiasm,  was  yet, 
in  a  doctrinal  point  of  view,  unproductive;  if  we 
consider,  moreover,  that  the  dark  feelings  by 
which  all  were  animated  and  impelled  had  not 
received  a  definite  expression  in  any  public  for- 
mulary,— a  circumstance  which  gave  occasion  to 
a  general  complaint  on  the  part  of  their  adver- 
saries,— we  shall  feel  the  less  surprised  at  the 
fact  above  mentioned."  J.  A.  Moehler,  Symbol- 
ism, Article  58.  Moreover  the  Anabaptists  main- 
tained that  any  one  who  felt  himself  moved,  as 
he  thought,  by  the  Spirit,  should  prophecy  and 
preach. 


151 


MENNONITES. 

Menno  Simonis,  formerly  pastor  of  the  Cath- 
olic congregation  in  Withmarsum,  Holland,  be- 
came prominent  as  an  Anabaptist  organizer  in 
1536.  He  disavowed  any  sympathy  for  and  con- 
nection with  the  fanatic  Anabaptists  of  Muenster. 
But  he  rejected  infant  baptism.  He  strove  to 
moderate  the  social  upheaval  of  the  sect,  urged 
them  on  to  lead  a  quiet  life,  forbade  them  to  take 
an  oath  and  to  carry  weapons,  and  emphasized 
strict  obedience  to  authority.  He  found  a  great 
following.  In  the  year  1561  he  died  to  the  great 
regret  of  his  followers,  who  are  called  Mennonites 
unto  this  day.  Even  during  his  life-time,  his  ad- 
herents divided  into  two  factions,  the  "Fine"  and 
the  "Coarse"  Anabaptists,  or  Mennonites.  The 
"Fine"  faction  claims  to  adhere  closer  to  the  au- 
thority of  the  older  Anabaptists,  whereas  the 
"Coarse"  more  closely  resemble  other  Protestant 
sects. 

As  we  find  them  in  this  country,  the  Men- 
nonites generally  are  good,  honest,  obedient  citi- 
zens, somewhat  secluded,  industrious  and  modest 
both  in  dress  and  demeanor.  Converts  from  the 
Mennonites  make  good  loyal  Catholics. 

Though  all  authors  of  repute  maintain  that 
Mennonites  and  Anabaptists  are  interchangeable 
terms,  the  Mennonites  themselves  call  in  question 
their  descent  from  the  earlier  Anabaptists. 

152 


MENNONITES. 


While  the  Mennonites  admit  that  the  sinful- 
ness of  Adam  was  inherited  by  all  his  children, 
they  do  not  believe  in  the  transmission  to  pos- 
terity of  the  sin  itself.  They  claim  that  the  guilt 
of  sin  was  not  incurred  by  his  progeny.  This 
inherited  sinfulness  inclines  man  to  sin.  They 
do  not  deny  the  free  will  of  man.  Schyn,  in  his 
History  of  the  Mennonites  (Historiae  Mennon- 
itarum  plenior  Deductio,  Article  V,  P.  176)  tells 
us:  "Eidem  jam  lapso  et  perverso  inerat  facul- 
tas  occurrens  et  a  Deo  oblatum  bonum  audiendi, 
admittendi,  aut  rejicicndi,  i.  e.,  "Even  after  his 
fall  and  perversion  man  had  the  faculty  to  listen 
to,  approve  of,  or  reject  the  good  that  presents 
itself  and   is  proffered  by  God." 

They  maintain  that  on  account  of  the  effused 
Blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  we,  by  living  faith  which 
worketh  charity,  acquire  true  justice,  the  condon- 
ing or  the  forgiveness  of  all  past  and  present 
sins.  They  do  not  believe  in  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance  and  overlook  the  fact  that  Jesus  Christ 
gave  the  power  to  forgive  and  the  power  to  re- 
tain sins  to  His  Apostles  and  their  rightful  suc- 
cessors, and  that  the  condition  for  the  forgive- 
ness has  been  placed  by  God  and  must  not  be 
placed  but  be  fulfilled  by  the  sinner.  "He  breathed 
on  them ;  and  He  said  to  them :  Receive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they 
are  forgiven  them ;  and  whose  sins  you  shall  re- 
tain, they  are  retained/'     St.  John  20;  22,  23.    Con- 

153 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

trary  to  the  earlier  Anabaptists,  the  Mennonites 
declare  against  polygamy.  Their  ministers  are 
elected  and  then  confirmed  by  the  imposition  of 
the  hands  on  the  part  of  the  elders.  The  washing 
of  feet  of  the  traveling  brethren  is  one  of  their 
ceremonies.  Impenitent  sinners  among  them  are 
exhorted,  and  if  they  do  not  improve  upon  this 
exhortation  they  are  excommunicated,  and  then 
must  be  shunned   even   socially. 

The  aggregate  membership  of  the  Mennonites 
is  about  250,000. 

According  to  the  Religious  Statistics  in  the 
"World  Almanac  of  1911,"  there  are  55,007  Men- 
nonites in  the  United  States.  They  are  split  up 
into  as  many  as  fourteen  different  bodies. 


154 


BAPTISTS. 

Though  the  members  of  this  denomination 
delight  in  boasting  of  their  origin  as  that  of  the 
primitive  Church  and  refuse  to  acknowledge  any 
name  of  a  human  founder  of  their  sect,  it  is  nev- 
ertheless an  historical  fact,  that  their  origin  dates 
back  to  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
and  moreover  that  their  sect  was  not  founded  in 
Palestine   but   in   England. 

Dr.  Armitage,  a  Baptist,  in  his  book,  "A  His- 
tory of  the  Baptists,"  made  a  vain  attempt  to  trace 
the  Baptists,  even  before  they  existed,  by  their 
vital  principles  and  practices  from  the  time  of 
our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ  until  the  year 
1886.  It  is  generally  known,  not  only  among 
philosophers  but  among  all  people  blessed  with 
common  sense,  that  a  thing  cannot  act  before 
it  exists.  The  Baptists  certainly  had  no  practices 
before  they  were  in  existence.  Their  practices  at 
most  may  be  similar  to  those  of  others  who  lived 
before  them ;  but  their  own  principles  and  prac- 
tices do  not  antedate  their  origin,  which,  as  his- 
tory tells  us,  was  in  the  seventeenth  century.  For 
the  love  of  truth  Baptists  ought  to  admit  the  his- 
torical fact  of  their  very  recent  origin,  and  should 
not  attempt  to  foist  their  pet-theory  of  an  imag- 
inary apostolicity  upon  the  world.  Historians  will 
not  be  deceived  by  them;  and  other  people,  too, 
have  a   right  to  know  the  truth. 

155 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

W.  H.  Lyon  in  "A  Study  of  the  Sects,"  P.  119, 
says:  "It  was  in  Holland  that  the  English  In- 
dependents, or  Brownists,  first  came  into  contact 
with  Anabaptist  doctrines;  and  one  of  their  min- 
isters in  Amsterdam,  the  Rev.  John  Smyth,  be- 
came a  convert  to  them,  and  formed  a  new  church, 
part  of  which  came  to  London  in  1612.  The  early 
history  of  the  sect  there  is  uncertain;  but  it  is 
known  that  the  church  existed  in  1633,  and  from 
that  time  adherents  multiplied  fast."  The  most 
reliable  information  we  get  from  Hergenroether 
in  his  excellent  Kirchengeschiclite,  Vol.  3,  P.  533. 
He  writes :  "The  Baptists  originated  in  England 
about  the  year  1608,  independent  of  the  Mennon- 
ites  of  Germany  and  Holland.  They  obtained 
some  prominence  after  the  year  1688.  They  ad- 
ministered Baptism  (to  adults  only)  by  immersion 
and  tenaciously  adhered  to  the  Calvinistic  doc- 
trines of  predestination  and  justification,  cele- 
brated the  Sabbath  instead  of  the  Sunday  and  en- 
tertained antinomian  views." 

In  common  with  other  denominations,  they 
maintain  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  rule  of  faith 
and  religious  practice,  and  that,  moreover,  every 
body  may  interpret  Holy  Scripture  according  to 
his  own  private  notions  vwithout  any  guidance  save 
his  own  human  knowledge.  This  is  their  doc- 
trine in  theory;  in  practice  every  parishioner  is 
expected  to  adopt  the  views  of  the  preacher.  Pri- 
vate interpretation   of  the  Bible  after  all  amounts 

156 


BAPTISTS 

to  this :  read  and  interpret  the  Bible  as  you 
please,  but  be  sure  to  agree  with  the  notion  of 
your  minister  and  the  general  view  of  the  con- 
gregation, for  by  them  you  will  be  damned,  if 
you  don't. 

Baptists  hold  that  baptism,  in  order  to  be 
valid,  must  be  by  immersion  and  can  be  validly 
administered  by  those  only  who  profess  personal 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  can  be  validly  received 
by  those  only  who  have  an  intelligent  faith.  They 
reject  infant  baptism. 

As  to  their  mode  of  baptism,  namely  by  im- 
mersion, it  is  the  one  that  was  generally  prac- 
ticed in  the  early  days  of  the  Church.  If  all 
other  conditions  requisite  for  baptism  are  com- 
plied with,  then  immersion  is  valid  baptism.  Im- 
mersion, however,  was  not  the  only  mode  of  bap- 
tism used  in  the  earlier  days  of  the  Church. 

Upon  the  sermon  of  St.  Peter  at  Jerusalem 
on  Pentecost-day  about  three  thousand  converted 
and  were  baptized  the  same  day.  Now,  it  seems 
hardly  possible  that  these  three  thousand  were 
baptized  by  immersion,  even  if  all  the  disciples 
kept  on  immersing  the  converts  till  midnight.  The 
general  opinion  is  that  these  three  thousands  were 
not  baptized  by  immersion.  So  much  is  certain, 
there  is  no  passage  in  Holy  Scripture  from  which 
we  might  infer  that  they  were  led  to  the  flowing 
water  and  then  immersed.  "They  therefore  that 
received  his  word  were  baptized;   and  there  were 

157 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

added  in  that  day  about  three  thousand  souls." 
Acts  2;  41.  Take  the  case  of  the  eunuch,  whom 
St.  Philip  converted  and  baptized  in  the  river; 
even  there  we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  upon 
the  authority  of  the  Bible  only,  that  baptism  was 
by  immersion ;  it  may  have  been  by  pouring  the 
water  on  the  convert.  "They  went  down  into  the 
water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch :  and  he  bap- 
tized him.  And  when  they  were  come  up  out 
of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  took  away 
Philip ;  and  the  eunuch  saw  him  no  more.  And 
he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing."     Acts  8,  38,  39. 

When  a  person  goes  down  into  the  water  of 
a  river  it  simply  means  that  he  descends  from 
the  bank  of  the  river  into  the  water.  It  does  not 
imply  that  the  person  gets  under  the  water  with 
his  whole  body,  head  and  all.  Neither  does  the 
Scripture  suggest  such  a  clucking  here.  For  both 
went  into  the  water.  If  both  were  entirely  under 
the  water  how  could  Philip  baptize?  If  Philip 
was  not  under  the  water,  but  simply  in  the  water, 
then  the  eunuch  was  not  under  it  either,  for  the 
Bible  says:  "They  went  down  into  the  water, 
both  Philip  and  the  eunuch."  When  a  person 
gets  out  of  a  river,  he  comes  up  out  of  the  water. 
Holy  Scripture  does  not  suggest  any  immersion 
in  the  baptism  of  the  eunuch.  How  he  was  bap- 
tized is  a  matter  of  conjecture:  the  Bible  does 
not  tell  us.  With  those  that  want  no  tradition 
in    religious  matters,    but  claim    to  take    the  Bible 

158 


BAPTISTS 

for  the  sole  rule,  the  cases  so  far  mentioned  can- 
not be  adduced  as  proof  of  their  immersion  theory. 
The  expression  of  St.  Peter  (Acts  10;  47), 
seems  to  exclude  the  idea  of  baptism  by  immer- 
sion. "Then  Peter  answered:  Can  any  man  for- 
bid water,  that  these  should  not  be  baptized,  who 
have  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  well  as  we?" 
Now  to  forbid  water  rather  implies  to  prohibit 
taking,  or  using,  or  receiving,  water.  In  this  in- 
stance it  means  the  receiving  of  baptismal  water, 
the  water  of  baptism,  without  indicating 
the  mode  of  procedure. 

Baptists  refer  to  the  Letter  of  St.  Paul  to  the 
Romans,  Chap.  6,  V.  4,  as  a  proof  of  their  as- 
sumption that  immersion  can  be  proved  from  the 
Bible.  Let  us  read  that  text  and  see  whether  it 
proves  anything  in  favor  of  their  mode  of  baptism : 
"For  we  are  buried  together  with  him  by  baptism 
into  death ;  that  as  Christ  is  risen  from  the  dead  by 
the  glory  of  the  Father,  so  we  also  may  walk  in 
newness  of  life.''  Rom.  6;  4.  I  candidly  admit 
that  with  the  aid  of  tradition  we  can  prove  bap- 
tism by  immersion  from  this  passage;  but  with- 
out this  assistance,  the  words  do  not  prove  it;  for 
St.  Paul  does  in  no  way  speak  here  of  the  mode 
of  baptism,  but  merely  institutes  a  comparison  to 
urge  the  faithful  to  walk  in  the  footsteps  of  Christ. 
Buried  by  baptism,  if  buried  means  simply  cov- 
ered, might  mean  to  be  soaked  by  rain,  to  be 
saturated  by   pouring  or  sprinkling.     If  buried   by 

159  ±jL> .^. 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

baptism  is  spoken  in  a  figurative  sense,  then  it  will 
not  do  to  draw  a  literal  meaning  from  it. 

Upon  the  authority  of  the  Fathers,  I  believe 
that  the  passage  in  question,  refers  to  baptism  by 
immersion.  But  Baptists  acknowledge  no  such 
authority. 

They  use  another  passage  of  Scripture  in 
proof  of  their  teaching  with  regard  to  baptism  by 
immersion.  It  is  taken  from  the  Letter  of  St. 
Paul  to  the  Colossians,  Chap.  2,  V.  12:  "Buried 
with  him  in  baptism,  in  whom  also  you  are  risen 
again  by  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who 
hath  received  him  up  from  the  dead."  Buried 
with  him  in  baptism,  if  taken  literally,  would 
imply,  that  actually  put  under  water  we  were 
with  Christ,  or  together  with  Him  covered  with 
water.  The  meaning  of  the  expression  'buried 
with  him  in  baptism'  the  Bible  nowhere  explains. 
People  who  do  not  acknowledge  tradition,  should 
be  slow  to  venture  an  opinion  on  this  text. 

I  might  bring  a  similar  text  with  a  figura- 
tive meaning,  and  assert  that  sprinkling  of  the 
heart  and  washing  of  the  body  was  the  original 
mode  of  baptism.  St.  Paul  furnishes  the  text. 
"Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart  in  fulness 
of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil 
conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed  with  clean 
water."     Heb.   10;  22. 

But  what  would  you  think  of  me,  if  I  as- 
serted, contrary  to  all  denominations,  that  baptism 

160 


BAPTISTS 

must  be  in  a  mode  similar  to  the  floating  of  the 
ark  of  Noe?  St.  Peter  writes:  "He  preached  to 
those  spirits  that  were  in  prison :  which  had  been 
some  time  incredulous,  when  they  waited  for  the 
patience  of  God  in  the  days  of  Noe,  when  the 
ark  was  a  building:  wherein  a  few,  that  is,  eight 
souls,  were  saved  by  water.  Whereunto  baptism 
being  of  the  like  form,  now  saveth  you  also."  I. 
Peter  3;  19-21.  However  I  do  not  maintain  such 
folly;  for  I  am  aware  of  the  fact  that  figurative 
speech  must  be  taken  in  a  figurative  sense,  which 
in  this  instance  conveys  the  following  idea :  as 
the  ark  was  the  means  by  which  the  eight  per- 
sons in  it  escaped  the  deluge,  so  baptism  is  a 
means  of  your  salvation,  a  means  of  escaping 
eternal   damnation. 

Anybody  who  tries  to  prove  from  the  Bi^e 
that  immersion  is  the  only  valid  mode  of  bap- 
tism, attempts  the  impossible.  The  Bible  does 
not  vouch  for  such  an  assumption.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  Bible,  as  I  have  proved,  suggests  the 
idea  that  baptism  was  not  always  administered 
by  immersing  the  person.  The  Catholic  Church 
maintains  that  baptism  by  immersion,  by  pour- 
ing, and  by  aspersion  or  sprinkling,  may  be  valid; 
that  whenever  the  form  and  matter  of  baptism,  i. 
e.  the  words  and  the  water,  are  administered  at  the 
same  time  with  the  intention  to  baptize  an  un- 
baptized  human  being,  a  valid  baptism  takes  place. 
For    various    reasons,    however,    the    Church    pre- 

161 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

scribes  baptism  by  pouring.  Except  in  cases  of 
necessity,  the  other  modes  are  at  present  illicit 
at  least  in  the  Latin  Church;  but  they  are  valid 
nevertheless. 

Baptists  reject  infant  baptism  as  unscriptural. 
But  their  rejection  of  infant  baptism  is  rather  un- 
scriptural, nay  even  anti-scriptural.  The  Bible  no- 
where forbids  infant  baptism.  The  forbidding  of 
infant  baptism  is  therefore  unscriptural.  The 
Bible  tells  us  that,  unless  a  man  be  born  again  of 
water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God"  (St.  John  3;  5);  and  that 
the  little  ones  %re  destined  for  the  kingdom  of 
God :  "for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  for  such" 
(St.  Matth.  19 ;  14)  ;  if  they  are  destined  for  it  and 
cannot  enter  it  without  being  born  of  water  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  i.  e.  without  baptism:  then  child- 
ren must  be  baptized.  The  rejection  of  infant 
baptism  is,  therefore,  anti-scriptural.  That  child- 
ren of  converts  to  Christianity  were  baptized  is 
suggested  in  the  Bible.  Of  the  keeper  of  the 
prison  it  is  said:  "He  himself  was  baptized,  and 
all  his  house  immediately."  Acts  16,  33.  To 
all  his  house  probably  some  little  ones 
belonged.  "And  I  baptized  also  the  house- 
hold of  Stephanus."  I.  Cor.  1;  16.  "And 
Crispus,  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  be- 
lieved in  the  Lord,  with  all  his  house ;  and  many 
of  the  Corinthians  hearing,  believed,  and  were 
baptized."     Acts  18,  8. 

162 


BAPTISTS 

Baptists  regard  baptism  as  a  mere  symbol, 
as  a  sign,  but  not  as  a  means  of  cancelling  sins. 
"But  Peter  said  to  them :  Do  penance,  and  be 
baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  remission  of  your  sins:  and  you 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Acts 
2;  38.  "And  now  why  tarriest  thou?  Rise  up, 
and  be  baptized%,  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  invok- 
ing his  name.  "  Acts  22;  16.  "For  you  are  all 
the  children  of  God  by  faith,  in  Christ  Jesus.  For 
as  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  in  Christ, 
have  put  on  Christ."  Gal.  3 ;  26,  27.  Baptism, 
therefore,  according  to  Holy  Scripture  is  a  means 
of  washing  away  sins,  the  putting  on  of  Christ 
which  implies  conferring  sanctifying  grace  and  a 
right  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  It  is  not  a  mere 
symbol.  It  is  more  than  that:  it  is  an  absolutely 
necessary  means  of  salvation ;  but  it  may  be  re- 
ceived either  actually,  or  by  baptism  of  blood, 
(martydom)  or  by  desire. 

With  reference  to  the  Blessed  Eucharist, 
the  Baptists  believe  in  a  merely  symbolical  mean- 
ing of  the  Last  Supper.  St.  Paul  held  a  different 
view:  "Take  ye,  and  eat;  this  is  my  body,  which 
shall  be  delivered  for  you."  1  Cor.  11 ;  24.  The  body 
of  Christ  that  was  delivered  for  us  on  Calvary 
was  not  a  mere  symbol,  but  an  actual  body.  The 
same  actual  Body  He  gave  to  His  disciples,  say- 
ing: "Take  ye,  and  eat."  The  symbol  theory 
is  unscriptural.    Such  is  the  irony  of  fate,  or  better 

163 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

the  anomaly  of  facts,  that  heretics  claim  to  be 
scriptural  in  the  very  things,  where  Holy  Scrip- 
ture is  plainly  against  them.  The  true  Body  and 
Blood  of  Jesus  Christ  were  given  by  Him  to  His 
Apostles.  True  Christians  still  receive  the  same 
Body  and  Blood  substantially  in  Holy  Commun- 
ion. 

As  might  be  logically  expected,  private  in- 
terpreters of  the  Bible  will  have  divergent  private 
views,  and  those  wanting  all  requisite  knowledge 
to  read  and  interpret  the  Bible  intelligently  will 
come  to  some  foolish  conclusions.  So  it  happened. 
The  Baptists,  as  well  as  other  private  interpreters 
of  the  Holy  Bible,  began  to  quarrel  among  them- 
selves on  some  doctrinal  points  or  on  some  relig- 
ious practices  and  disintegrated,  into  various  sects. 
Roger  Williams  who  organized  the  first  Baptist 
congregation  in  America,  in  Rhode  Island,  1639, 
soon  saw  where  private  interpretation  leads  to. 
Some  of  the  better  known  Baptist  denominations 
in  America  are  mentioned  here. 

The  General  Baptists  are  those  Baptists  who 
believe,  as  we  Catholics  do,  that  Jesus  Christ  died 
for  all  mankind.  "But  all  things  are  of  God,  who 
hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Christ;  and  hath 
given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation.  For 
God  indeed  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world 
to  himself,  not  imputing  to  them  their  sins;  and 
he  hath  placed  in  us  the  word  of  reconciliation." 
2  Cor.  5;  18,    19.      Speaking  of  the   sin    of   Adam 

164 


BAPTISTS 

and  the  redemption  through  Christ,  St.  Paul  says: 
"Therefore,  as  by  the  offence  of  one,  unto  all  men 
to  condemnation ;  so  also  by  the  justice  of  one, 
unto  all  men  to  justification  of  life.''    Rom.  5 ;  18. 

The  Particular  Baptists  maintain  that  Christ 
died  for  the  elect  only,  and  that  they  themselves 
belong  to  these  elect,  the  chosen  few. 

The  Seventh-Day  Baptists,  who  formerly  went 
by  the  name  of  "Sabbatarian  Baptists"  in  Eng- 
land, observe  the  seventh  day  instead  of  the  Sun- 
day. This  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  their  rule 
of  faith,  Scripture  only. 

The  Six  Principle  Baptists  have  six  princi- 
ples, or  doctrines :  Repentance,  Faith,  Imposi- 
tion, Baptism,  Resurrection,  and  the  Eternal  Judg- 
ment. 

The  Dunkards,  or  "German  Baptists,"  also 
called  "Brethren,"  were  founded  in  Germany  by 
Alexander  Mack  about  1708.  They  baptize  adults 
only  by  threefold  immersion  and  seek  to  be  ex- 
cessively simple"  in  language,  habits,  dress  and 
demeanor. 

The  Free  Baptists  came  into  existence  in  New 
Hampshire  in  1780  through  the  efforts  of  Benja- 
min Randall.  Being  dissatisfied  with  Congrega- 
tionalism there,  he  went  to  Berwick,  Me.,  where 
he  joined  the  Baptists.  But  he  did  not  believe 
in  unconditional  predestination  as  the  rest  of  the 
Baptists  in  Berwick  did,  who  were  strictly  Cal- 
vinistic.      In  his  sermons  he    frequently  spoke    of 

165 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

a  general  atonement  and  the  sinner's  ability  to 
accept  Christ.  For  this  reason  he  was  disfellow- 
shipped.  Then  he  organized  the  first  Free  Bap- 
tist congregation  at  Durham,  N.  H.,  without 
really  intending  to  start  a  new  sect.  In  1851  the 
ceremony  of  feet-washing,  which  until  then  had 
been  obligatory,  became  optional.  In  consequence 
of  which,  some  Free  Baptists  have  done  away  with 
it.  They  do  not  insist  on  baptism  in  their  own 
denomination  as  a  requisite  to  partake  of  the 
Communion  of  the  Lord's  Table,  but  practice  an 
"open  communion." 

We  must  bear  in  mind  that  their  so-called 
communion  is  nothing  more  than  eating  and  drink- 
ing together  in  memory  of  our  Lord's  Passion  and 
Death.  For  such  common  eating  and  drink- 
ing baptism  is  certainly  not  necessary.  But  for 
the  reception  of  "what  Catholics  understand  by 
Holy  Communion;  namely  the  partaking  of  the 
Body  and  Blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  baptism  is  neces- 
sary; for  Holy  Communion  must  be  received  in 
the  state  of  sanctifying  grace  and  by  a  Christian 
only,  but  baptism  is  the  only  door  to  Christian- 
ity.    No  unbaptized  person  is  a   Christian. 

The  Primitive  Baptists,  also  called  Old  School, 
Anti-Mission  and  Hard  Shell  Baptists  date  back 
to  the  year  1835.  They  are  opposed  to  missions, 
Sunday  schools,  and  to  all  religious  institutions. 
Their  religion  is  extremely  gloomy,  being  that 
of  rigid   Calvanism:  total  depravity   of  human   na- 

166 


BAPTISTS 

ture,    and    unconditional    election    and  reprobation. 

The  Separate  Baptists  of  today  have  this  in 
common  with  the  Free  Baptists  that  they  do  not 
hold  the  harsh  and  absolutely  false  theory  of 
Calvanistic  predestination  and  reprobation.  They 
believe  in  God's  justice,  but  like  all  Baptists  re- 
ject infant  baptism  and  nearly  all  the  Sacraments. 

The  United  Baptists  arose  about  the  middle 
of  the  18th  century  when  a  futile  attempt  was 
made  to  unite  the  Regular  and  the  Separate  Bap- 
tists. The  result  was  an  additional  denomination. 
Feet-washing  is  one  of  their  important  ceremonies. 

The  Old-Two-Seed-In-The-Spirit-Predestinar- 
ian  Baptists,  like  the  Man  cheans  of  old,  believe 
in  two  eternal  principles,  one  good,  the  other  evil, 
which  they  call  the  seed  of  life  and  the  seed  of 
death.  They  originated  during  the  first  half  of 
the    nineteenth    century. 

The  Winebrennerians,  the  followers  of  John 
Winebrenner,  who  adopted  the  pretentious  desig- 
nation of  "Church  of  God,"  date  back  to  the  year 
1830.  Their  three  ordinances  as  mere  symbols 
are  Baptism,  Feet-washing,  and  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per.   Their  church  government  is  congregational. 

The  Campbellites,  also  known  as  Disciples  of 
Christ,  or  Christians,  came  into  existence 
about  the  year  1817.  Thomas  Campbell  and  his 
son  Alexander  were  their  first  leaders.  They  claim 
to  believe  in  the  Bible  without  any  creed.  Though 
they  maintain  not  to  hold  any  creed,  their  creed  is 

167 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

that  the  Bible  is  the  unerring  and  all  sufficient  word 
of  God.  A  belief  in  the  Bible  without  a  creed  is 
an  impossibility.  He  who  considers  the  Bible  the 
unerring  word  of  God  has  at  least  that  creed. 
Campbellites  care  little  for  logic  and  principle. 
Their  literature  is  poor  and  consists  largely  of 
ranting  (without  proving  anything)  against  other 
Christian  denominations,   especially    Catholics. 

Admitted  that  the  Holy  Bible  is  God's  unerr- 
ing word,  it  by  no  means  follows  that  every  reader 
or  even  any  reader  of  the  Bible  is  exempt  from 
error.  A  person  who  has  not  the  requisite  knowl- 
edge cannot  read  the  Holy  Bible  intelligently  much 
less  unerringly.  The  generality  of  mankind  does 
not  acquire  this  knowledge.  Does  not  the  history 
of  Protestantism  prove  sufficiently  that  private  in- 
terpretation and  the  arrogant  claim  of  individual 
infallibility  in  reading  and  explaining  the  Bible  has 
led  to  the  most  contradictory  creeds?  The 
reader  of  the  unerring  word  of  God  is  very  liable 
to  err.  Such  is  the  lesson  of  history.  People  who 
altogether  reject  Tradition  can  never  get  at  the 
true  meaning  of  many  biblical  passages. 

"Thou  wilt  obtain  the  knowledge  full  and 
entire  of  the  Christian  religion  only  in  connection 
with  its  essential  form,  which  is  the  Church.  Look 
at  the  Scripture  in  an  ecclesiastical  spirit,  and  it 
will  present  thee  an  image  perfectly  resembling 
the  Church.  Contemplate  Christ  in,  and  with  His 
creation — the    Church — the  only    adequate  author- 

168 


BAPTISTS 

ity — the  only  authority  representing  Him,  and 
thou  wilt  then  stamp  His  image  on  thy  soul. 
Should  it,  however,  be  stated,  in  ridicule  of  this 
principle,  that  it  were  the  same  as  to  say:  'Look 
at  the  Bible  through  the  spectacles  of  the  Church;' 
be  not  disturbed,  for  it  is  better  for  thee  to  con- 
template the  star  by  the  aid  of  a  glass,  than  to 
let  it  escape  thy  dull  organ  of  vision,  and  be  lost 
in  mist  and  darkness.  Spectacles,  besides,  thou 
must  always  use,  but  only  beware  lest  thou  get 
them  constructed  by  the  first  casual  glass-grinder, 
and  fixed  upon  thy  nose."  Dr.  J.  A.  Moehler, 
Symbolism,  Article  39. 

Baptists  of    all   descriptions     throughout    the 
whole  world  number  about  9,230,000. 


169 


MORAVIANS,  OR  BOHEMIAN  BRETHREN. 

Moravians,  or  Bohemian  Brethren,  date  back 
to  the  first  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  There 
was  a  society  with  the  same  name  previous  to 
this,  but  it  lasted  only  94  years.  It  was  organized 
in  1457  in  Moravia  and  governed  by  twenty-eight 
elders  according  to  mutually  adopted  principles 
of  doctrine.  Their  usual  name  was  "Brethren 
and  Sisters  of  the  Law  of  Christ"  or  simply 
"Brethren."  At  their  synod  at  Lhotka,  they  agreed 
to  separate  entirely  from  the  Catholic  Church. 
Three  of  their  men  were  consecrated  bishops  by 
the  Waldensian  bishop  Stephen.  They  soon  dis- 
banded partly  on  account  of  internal  troubles  but 
mainly  on  account  of  persecution.  Most  of 
them  joined  Protestant  denominations.  The  so- 
ciety was   almost   totally  dismembered. 

In  1722  Nicholas  Louis  Count  Zinzendorf,  a 
Lutheran,  organized  a  religious  community  on  his 
estate  Berthelsdorf,  Saxony,  under  the  pastorate 
of  Andrew  Rothe.  Among  the  members  were 
people  from  Moravia.  After  five  years  the  new  re- 
ligious colony  numbered  about  300.  Disregard- 
ing dogmatic  differences  Count  Zinzendorf  urged 
them  on  to  what  he  considered  practical  piety. 
The  colony  increased.  A  new  congregation  was 
organized  on  the  Hutberg,  which  received 
the  name  of  Herrnhut.    From  this  name  the  appel- 

170 


MORAVIANS 


lation  Herrnhuters  is  derived,  a  name  by  which 
these  people  are  called  in  Germany.  Factions 
arose.  Most  of  the  members  were  dissatisfied  with 
Andrew  Rothe.  In  order  to  unite  the  quarreling 
factions,  Count  Zinzendorf  became  bishop,  and 
twelve  elders  were  elected  by  the  people.  All 
went  by  the  name  of  "Brethren."  Later  on  Count 
Zinzendorf  assumed  the  title  "Ordinary  of  the 
Brethren."    He  died   1760. 

These  Brethren,  or  Moravians,  as  they 
are  more  frequently  called,  have  set  formulas 
universally  used  for  infant  baptism  and  for  the  bap- 
tism of  adults.  Before  they  receive  the  Last  Sup- 
per, they  hold  a  love-feast,  make  a  general  con- 
fession of  sinfulness  and  receive  some  admonitions 
and  practical  instructions  from  their  minister. 
Communion,  or,  as  they  prefer  to  call  it,  the  Sac- 
rament of  the  Lord's  Supper,  is  received  kneel- 
ing. Moreover,  they  have  conformity  in  their 
rites  of  confirmation,  ordination,  and  the  burial 
of  the  dead.  Formerly  they  frequently  resorted 
to  casting  lots  in  order  to  divine  the  will  of  God. 
The  selection  of  young  couples  for  marriage  was 
likewise  by  lot.  Feet-washing  is  one  of  their 
liturgical  services.  The  highest  legislative  author- 
ity among  the  Bohemian  Brethren  is  vested  in  the 
General  Synod  held  once  every  ten  years. 

In  virtue  of  'the  cross  and  blood  theology* 
the  Moravians,  or  United  Brethren  frequently  med- 
itate  (and  their  ministers,  as  a  rule,  often  preach) 

171 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

on  the  sufferings  and  the  bloody  death  of  Jesus 
on  the  cross;  which  praiseworthy  practice  has  a 
good  moral  influence  on  their  daily  life.  Undoubt- 
edly, when  members  of  this  sect  get  the  grace  of 
conversion  to  the  Catholic  Church,  they  are  well 
prepared  to  appreciate  the  devotion  of  the  Way 
of  the  Cross  and  the  grand  ceremonies  of  Holy 
Week. 

In    the    United    States    the    little    society    of 
Bohemian   Brethren  or  Moravians  numbers  20,369. 


172 


FRIENDS,  OR  QUAKERS. 

George  Fox,  born  in  Leicestershire,  1624,  a 
shoemaker  by  trade,  is  the  founder  of  this  Chris- 
tian denomination.  He  began  to  preach  his  new 
religion  in  1647,  and  died  January  13,  1691.  His 
followers  call  themselves  the  Society  of  Friends; 
by  outsiders  they  are  more  generally  styled 
Quakers,  which  term,  though  originally  a  nick- 
name, is  no  longer  considered  such. 

Their  central  dogma,  towards  which  everything 
in  their  teaching  and  practice  converges,  is  the  doc- 
trine concerning  the  "Inner  Light,''  a  sort  of  in- 
dividual inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Sacra- 
ments, creeds,  'and  councils  are  adjudged  super- 
fluous external  practices.  Human  learning,  though 
valued,  is  not  considered  necessary  in  their  min- 
istry. Their  meetings,  as  a  rule,  commence  in  si- 
lence. Every  body  is  supposed  to  pray  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  for  light.  If  any  one,  man,  woman, 
or  child  in  the  congregation  believes  himself  or 
herself  moved  by  this  "Inner  Light,"  this  person 
gets  up  and  speaks  "by  the  Holy  Ghost."  As  a 
rule,  their  ministers  do  not  receive  a  stipulated 
salary,  but  are  supposed  to  do  their  work  for  the 
love  of  truth  or  instruction.  The  members  of  the 
Society  may  give  liberally  towards  trie  support  of 
the  minister,  who  is  permitted  to  accept  what- 
ever is  offered  him  as  long  as  he  does  not  use 
his    ministry  for  the  precise    purpose    of  making 

173 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

money.  Generally  speaking,  they  have  no  regu- 
larly ordained  ministers. 

The  liturgy  of  the  Friends  is  as  simple 
as  you  can  imagine  it.  They  believe  that  all  sym- 
bolic rites  were  abolished  by  our  Savior  on  the 
cross  and  that  He  announced  this  in  the  words : 
"It  is  finished,"  "It  is  consummated.'*  Actually, 
Jesus  indicated  by  these  words  that  His  passion 
was  consummated,  that  His  death  was  at  hand, 
and  that  through  His  passion  and  death  redemp- 
tion was  completed.  Jesus  never  referred  to  the 
abolition  of  Christian  symbolic  rites  at  any  time 
in  His  life;  in  fact  He  instituted  them. 

The  word  "Trinity"  is  in  disfavor  with  them, 
since  they  cannot  find  it  in  the  Bible ;  but  never- 
theless they  believe  in  the  Blessed  Trinity,  or  as 
they  would  say:  in  the  Godhead  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which, 
however,  really  means  the  same.  The  Friends  are 
truly  advocates  of  peace.  They  were  foremost  in 
advocating  the  abolition  of  slavery,  not  by  war, 
but  in  a  peaceable  way.  Wars  are  looked  upon 
as  abominations,  which  they  undoubtedly  are. 
Balls  are  branded  as  "nurseries  of  debauchery  and 
wickedness."  But  in  spite  of  this  prohibition  it 
sometimes  happens,  as  is  the  case  with  members 
of  all  denominations  that  young  couples  transgress 
the  precept  of  well-meaning  ministers,  perhaps 
more  on  account  of  youthful  levity  than  from 
any    evil  intent.      Sacred    concerts,    oratorios,    and 

174 


FRIENDS 


operatic  singing,  the  Friends  do  not  permit.  They 
try  to  foster  interior  devotion  to  the  best  of  their 
knowledge,  and  avoid  cursing  and  swearing.  In 
their  dress  and  mode  of  living  they  are  very  sim- 
ple and  modest  and  well  worthy  of  imitation  in 
these  days  of  fashion  and  high  living. 

Owing  to  doctrinal  disputes,  the  Friends  soon 
began  to  split  into  dissenting  sects  such  as  Ortho- 
dox and  Hicksite,  Wilburite  and  Primitive  Quak- 
ers.   In  America  they  number  about  119,600. 

Converts  from  the  Society  of  Friends  to  the 
Catholic  Church  appreciate  the  wealth  of  spiritual 
aid,  the  well  nigh  unlimited  opportunities  of  lay- 
ing up  treasures  for  heaven,  which  the  Catholic 
Church,  wherein  Jesus  dwells,  offers  them. 


175 


METHODISTS. 

John  Wesley,  born  in  1703  as  the  son  of  an 
Anglican  minister,  is  recognized  as  the  founder 
of  Methodism.  Without  at  first  intending  to  leave 
the  Established  Church,  he  established  another, 
which  he  intended  as  a  revival  within  the  churches. 
With  his  brother  Charles,  George  Whitefield,  and 
several  other  students  at  Oxford  he  held  small 
evening  meetings  for  spiritual  meditations.  John 
was  the  organizer,  his  brother  Charles  the  poet, 
and  George  Whitefield  the  orator  of  the  move- 
ment. In  their  studies  as  well  as  in  their  meet- 
ings, they  proceeded  methodically.  For  this  reason 
they  were  soon  nicknamed  Methodists.  In  the 
year  1728,  John  Wesley  was  ordained  as  minister 
of  the  Anglican  Church;  though  he  never  obtained 
charge  of  a  parish  nor  ever  gained  the  friend- 
ship of  other  Anglican  clergymen.  From  the  Mo- 
ravians (Herrnhuters),  he  copied  his  pietistic 
views  of  conversion,  Spirit  assurance  and  other 
eccentricities. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1738,  some  forty  or  fifty 
of  his  followers  agreed  to  meet  with  him  every 
Wednesday  evening  and  to  spend  some  time  in 
prayer,  spiritual  conversation,  and  singing.  These 
meetings  were  opened  and  closed  with  prayer. 
Methodists  date  their  denomination  back  *o  May, 
1738.     It  is  said  that  on  May  24,  1738,  John  Wes- 

176 


METHODISTS 


ley  experienced  that  desirable  sudden  change 
within  himself  which  he  henceforth  endeavored 
fo  produce  in  others.  For  a  time  some  of  his 
ministers  preached  in  the  open  air.  But  as  early 
as  May,  1739,  the  corner-stone  of  the  first  Meth- 
odist meeting-house  was  laid  in  London. 

The  Wesleys  drew  up  a  set  of  articles  of  doc- 
trine (twenty-five  in  number),  which  were  in- 
tended to  serve  as  a  broad  basis  on  which  all 
Christians  might  unite;  which  pious  wish,  need- 
less to  say,  was  never  realized.  Any  one  who 
was  anxious  "to  flee  the  wrath  of  God,  to  come 
and  to  be  saved  from  sin"  was  deemed  fit  for 
ruembersbip.  The  sins  of  cursing,  Sabbath-break- 
ing, intoxication,  cheating,  fighting,  vanity  in 
dress  and  other  prevalent  evils  were  strictly  for- 
bidden. On  the  other  hand,  the  corporal  works 
of  mercy  John  Wesley  highly  recommended  to 
all  his  followers.  Besides,  he  inspired  his  lis- 
teners with  religious  enthusiasm.  Though  he 
himself  professed  his  belief  in  the  seven  Sacra- 
ments, his  followers,  Methodists  in  general,  admit 
only  two:  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

Even  during  the  liftetime  of  the  above  men- 
tioned founders,  there  was  a  schism  in  their  own 
ranks.  The  followers  of  Whitefield  sternly  clung 
to  the  cheerless  and  gloomy  doctrine  of  Calvan- 
istic  predestination,  while  this  was  rejected  by 
the  Wesleyan  Methodists. 

Infant  baptism  is  commanded,  because  in- 
177 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

fants  belong  to  the  Kingdom  of  God.  For  a  Meth- 
odist, however,  baptism  is  merely  a  sign  of  the 
regeneration  which  the  recipient  obtains  previously 
to  the  reception  of  baptism.  In  this  as  in  many 
other  things  Methodism  differs  from  the  Catholic 
Church,  which  teaches  that  baptism  bestows  sanc- 
tifying grace,  makes  the  recipient  a  child  of  God, 
and  an  heir  of  heaven.  Jesus  said  to  Nicodemus : 
"Unless  a  man  be  born  again  of  water  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
St.  John  3;  5.  Without  baptism,  the  being  born 
of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  no  man  can  enter 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Now  Jesus  wants  the  little 
ones  to  belong  to  this  kingdom;  for  He  said: 
"Suffer  the  little  children,  and  forbid  them  not 
to  come  to  me:  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  for 
such."  St.  Matth.  19;  14.  They  must  be  baptized 
in  order  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  God.  Original 
sin  must  be  effaced.  "But  Peter  said  to  them: 
Do  penance,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of 
your  sins."  Acts  2;  38.  Baptism,  therefore,  remits 
sin.  "Rise  up,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away 
thy  sins,  invoking  his  name."  Acts  22;  16.  St. 
Paul  writes :  "Not  by  the  works  of  justice,  which 
we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy,  he 
saved  us,  by  the  laver  of  regeneration  (baptism), 
and  renovation  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  whom  he  hath 
poured  upon  us  abundantly,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Savior:   that,  being  justified   by   his   grace,  we 

178 


METHODISTS 


may  be  heirs,  according  to  hope  of  life  everlast- 
ing."    Titus  3;  5-7. 

With  the  Methodists  the  Lord's  Supper  is 
merely  a  memorial  of  the  passion  and  death  of 
Jesus  Christ.  They  receive  bread  and  wine,  imag- 
ining at  the  same  time  that  Jesus  comes  to  them  in 
a  spiritual  manner.  Imagination  and  emotion  play 
a  great  part  in  Methodism,  in  contradistinction  to 
Catholicism,  where  facts  and  reason  are  in  perfect 
harmony  with  the  revelations  of  God.  Since  Meth- 
odists reject  Tradition  and  in  contradistinction  to 
the  universal  voice  of  early  Christianity  consider 
the  Bible  the  sole  source  and  rule  of  faith, — that 
very  Bible  of  which  the  Christians  of  the  first  half 
of  the  first  century  could  have  no  knowledge, 
since  it  did  not  as  yet  exist, — they  cannot  convince 
either  themselves,  or  others,  that  they  being  of 
such  recent  date,  constitute  the  Church  whicn 
Jesus  founded  entirely  without  the  Bible.  He 
quoted  the  Old  Testament;  but  He  never  even 
hinted  to  it  that  the  Old  Testament  was  the  sole 
rule  of  faith.  He  did  not  quote  the  New  Testa- 
ment, because  it  was  not  as  yet  written.  For 
it  is  well  known  that  the  New  Testament  was 
written  after  the  ascension  of  Jesus  Christ  into 
heaven. 

St.  Paul  gives  this  advice:  "But  we  ought  to 
give  thanks  to  God  always  for  you,  brethren,  be- 
loved of  God,  for  that  God  hath  chosen  you  first 
fruits  unto  salvation,  in  sanctification  of  the  spirit, 

179 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

and  faith  of  the  truth:  whereunto  also  he  hath 
called  }ou  by  our  gospel,  unto  the  purchasing  of 
the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore, 
brethren  stand  fast;  and  hold  the  traditions  which 
you  have  learned,  whether  by  word  or  by  our 
epistle."     2  Thess.  2;  12-14. 

The  following  are  the  principal  Methodist 
bodies: 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  It  was  or- 
ganized at  the"Christmas  Conference"  at  Balti- 
more, 1784.  Asbury  was  unanimously  elected  as 
superintendent,  which  name  was  changed  to  bishop 
in  1788.  Episcopal  Methodists  are  Wesleyan  in 
doctrine  and  liturgy.  M.  E.  is  the  abbreviation 
used  to  designate  this  branch  of  Methodism. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Church  was  formed 
by  some  expelled  Methodist  Episcopal  members 
and  others  who  freely  left  the  aforesaid  denomina- 
tion because  it  would  not  extend  governmental 
rights  to  laymen.  It,  too,  started  at  Baltimore, 
Nov.  2,  1830.     It  has  no  bishops. 

The  Wesleyan  Methodist  Connection  was  the 
result  of  an  anti-slavery  movement  at  Utica,  N. 
Y.,  1843.  It  has  neither  bishops  nor  travel- 
ing preachers,  and  it  does  not  permit  its  mem- 
bers to  belong  to  secret  societies. 

The  Congregational  Methodists  seceded  from 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  1852.  They  are 
Wesleyan  in  doctrine,  and  Congregational  in 
polity. 

180 


METHODISTS 


The  Free  Methodist  Church  was  organized 
by  dissatisfied  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  at 
Pekin,  New  York,  1860.  They  claimed  that  the 
M.  E.  Church  had  forsaken  the  original  simplic- 
ity and  spirituality  of  Methodism ;  that  the 
preachers  were  at  variance  among  themselves  on 
doctrinal  points;  that  the  discipline  was  too  lax; 
that  the  old  simplicity  of  dress  had  given  way 
to  extravagance  of  apparel ;  that  rented  pews  had 
taken  the  place  of  free  seats;  that  choirs  took  the 
place  of  congregational  singing;  that  members  of 
secret  societies  were  tolerated,  etc.  Instead  of 
bishops,  they  have  general  superintendents.  The 
use  of  intoxicating  drinks  and  of  tobacco,  super- 
fluous ornaments  of  dress,  and  joining  secret  so- 
cieties are  strictly  forbidden  among  the  Free  Meth- 
odists. Direct  witness  of  the  Spirit  (excitement)  ; 
entire  sanctification;  eternal  reward  and  punish- 
ment, are  some  of  their  express  doctrines. 

The  New  Congregational  Methodists  origin- 
ated in  Georgia,  1881,  and  are  similar  to  the  Con- 
gregational Methodists. 

The  Independent  Methodists  date  back  to 
1810.     They   acknowledge   no  central  government. 

Other  minor  denominations  among  the  Meth- 
odists are:  Primitive  Methodists;  Bible  Christ- 
ians; United  Methodist  Free  Churches;  Welsh 
Calvinistic  Methodists  (Whitefield's  harsh  Calvin- 
istic  view  of  election  and  reprobation,)  ;  African 
M.  E.  Zion  Church;  Union  American  M.  E. ;  Afri- 

181 


METHODISTS 


can  M.  E.  Church;  African  Union  Methodist  Prot- 
estant Church;  Zion  Union  Apostolic  Church 
(founded  in  Virginia  1869)  ;  Colored  M.  E.  Church ; 
etc. 

With  all  its  varied  shades  of  doctrine  and 
polity,  and  its  many  distinctive  denominations, 
Methodism  in  English  speaking  countries  num- 
bers only  18,650,000  adherents  (World  Almanac 
of  1911).  In  this  country  there  are  6,477,224 
Methodists. 


182 


UNITED    BRETHREN    IN     CHRIST. 

Philip  William  Otterbein,  born  in  Germany 
1726,  became  a  minister  of  the  German  Reformed 
Church  and  later  on  the  main  founder  of  the  de- 
nomination known    as   United   Brethren  in    Christ. 

In  his  booklet,  "The  Church  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ;'  William  M.  Weekley,  a  U. 
B.  bishop,  writes :  "Martin  Boehm,  Otterbein's 
earliest  fellow-helper,  was  a  member  of  the  Men- 
nonite  Church.  They  first  met  at  a  great  meeting 
held  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  1767. 
As  Otterbein  listened  to  Boehm's  sermon  on  Sab- 
bath morning,  he  was  deeply  impressed  by  the 
simple,  tender  Scriptural  message,  and  before  the 
preacher  could  take  his  seat,  Otterbein,  quickened 
anew  by  the  truth,  and  rejoicing  in  a  new  found 
fellowship,  clasped  Boehm  in  his  arms  and  ex- 
claimed, 'We  are  Brethren!'  The  effect  upon  the 
great  audience  was  electrifying.  Some  were 
bathed  in  tears,  while  others  shouted  aloud  for 
joy.  All  hearts  seemed  melted  into  one.  There 
and  then  the  United  Brethren  Church  had  its  ori- 
gin."    Page    3,    4. 

Therefore  the  United  Brethren  Church  had 
its  orign  in  Pennsylvania  and  not  in  the  Holy 
Land,  where  the  true  Church  originated;  it  was 
started    in    1767    and  is    so  many  years    separated 

183 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

from  the  time  when  Jesus  Christ,  the  founder  of 
the  Catholic    Church,    was  born. 

The  first  U.  B.  Conference  was  held  in  1789. 
Philip  W.  Otterbein  died  as  first  bishop  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church  in  1813.  Bishop  Boehm, 
the  co-founder,  had   died  one  year  before. 

Bishops  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  are 
not  ordained  and  are  not  made  overseers  for  life, 
but  are  elected  by  the  General  Conference,  which 
meets  every  four  years  and  is  composed  of  an 
equal  number  of  ministerial  and  lay  delegates 
chosen  by  the  annual  conferences.  The  ministers 
are  chosen,  not  sent.  In  polity  this  denomination 
is  similar  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  i. 
e.,  it  presents  a  fusion  of  the  episcopal,  presby- 
terial,  and  congregational  systems.  It  has  a  de- 
fined creed,  a  confession  of  faith,  which,  however, 
lacks  precision.  For  example,  instead  of  saying: 
"We  believe  in  one  God,  in  Whom  there  are  three 
distinct  persons,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  they  say:  "We  believe  in  the  only 
true  God,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
equal  in  essence  or  being  with  the  Father  and  the 
Son." 

In  their  first  article  of  faith  they  maintain 
that  the  Bible  is  "the  only  rule  and  guide  in  faith 
and  practice."  By  what  the  first  Christians,  who 
lived  before  the  New  Testament  was  written, 
were  ruled  and  guided  is  not  even  aluded  to. 

Jesus  never  said  that  the  Holy  Bible  (of 
184 


UNITED     BRETHREN     IN    CHRIST 

which  that  part  which  we  call  the  New  Testa- 
ment did  not  as  yet  exist  when  He  lived  on  earth 
visibly),  should  be  the  only  rule  and  guide  in 
faith  and  practice;  but  we  read  in  the  same  Holy 
Bible  that  Jesus  said  to  His  eleven  Apostles 
shortly  before  He  ascended  into  heaven:  "All 
power  is  given  to  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
Going  therefore,  teach  ye  all  nations:  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son, 
and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Teaching  them  to  observe 
all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you :  and 
behold  I  am  with  you  all  days,  even  to  the  con- 
summation of  the  world."     Matth.  28;  18-20. 

Differing  with  the  true  Church,  which  always 
believed  in  seven  Sacraments,  the  United  Brethren 
believe  in  two  only;  viz.,  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper;  "but  the  mode  of  baptism  and  the  man- 
ner of  observing  the  Lord's  Supper  are  always 
to  be  left  to  the  judgment  and  understanding  of 
each  individual.  Also,  the  baptism  of  children 
shall  be  left  to  the  judgment  of  believing  parents." 
Confession  of  Faith,   No.  7. 

They  say :  "We  believe  that  penitent  sin- 
ners are  justified  before  God,  only  by  faith  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  by  works ;  yet  good 
works  in  Christ  are  acceptable  to  God,  and  spring 
out  of  a  true  and  living  faith."  No.  9.  The  Apostle 
St.  James,  a  kinsman  of  our  Lord,  teaches  a  dif- 
ferent doctrine.  His  is  the  teaching  of  the  true 
Church.     He  writes:      "What    shall    it  profit,  my 

185 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

brethren,  if  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  but  hath  not 
works?  Shall  faith  be  able  to  save  him?  And  if 
a  brother  or  sister  be  naked,  and  want  daily  food: 
And  one  of  you  say  to  them :  Go  in  peace,  be 
ye  warmed  and  filled;  yet  give  them  not  those 
things  that  are  necessary  for  the  body,  what  shall 
it  profit?  So  faith  also,  if  it  have  not  works, 
is  dead  in  itself.  But  some  man  will  say: 
Thou  hast  faith,  and  I  have  works :  shew  me  thy 
faith,  without  works;  and  I  will  shew  thee,  by 
works,  my  faith.  Thou  believest  that  there  is 
one  God.  Thou  dost  well :  the  devils  also  believe 
and  tremble.  But  wilt  thou  know,  O  vain  man, 
that  faith  without  works  is  dead?  Was  not  Abra- 
ham our  father  justified  by  works,  offering  up 
Isaac  his  son  upon  the  altar?  Seest  thou,  that 
faith  did  co-operate  with  his  works :  and  by  works 
faith  was  made  perfect?  And  the  Scripture  was 
fulfilled,  saying:  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it 
was  reputed  to  him  to  justice,  and  he  was  called 
the  friend  of  God.  Do  you  see  that  by  works  a 
man  is  justified;  and  not  by  faith  only?  And  in 
like  maner  also  Rahab  the  harlot,  was  not  she 
justified  by  works,  receiving  the  messengers,  and 
sending  them  out  another  way?  For  even  as  the 
body  without  the  spirit  is  dead ;  so  also  faith  with- 
out works  is  dead."     James  2;  14-26. 

Though  the  United  Brethren  claim  that  the 
Holy  Bible  is  the  only  rule  and  guide  in  faith 
and    practice,    nevertheless     they   hold     the   tradi- 

186 


UNITED     BRETHREN     IN    CHRIST 

tion,  which  is  not  biblical,  of  keeping  holy  the 
Sunday  instead  of  Saturday.  They  profess:  "We 
believe  that  the  Christian  Sabbath  (Sunday)  is 
divinely  appointed ;  that  it  is  commemorative  of 
our  Lord's  resurrection  from  the  grave,  and  is  an 
emblem  of  our  eternal  rest ;  that  it  is  essential 
to  the  welfare  of  the  civil  community,  and  to  the 
permanence  and  growth  of  the  Christian  Church, 
and  that  it  should  be  reverently  observed  as  a 
day  of  holy  rest  and  of  social  and  pubilc  wor- 
ship."    No.     12. 

The  main  literary  organ  of  the  U.  B.  Church 
is  "The  Religious  Telescope."  In  consequence  of 
a  schism,  which  occurred  in  1889  in  connection  with 
the  revision  of  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  the 
constitution,  there  are  today  two  distinct  bodies 
of  United  Brethren.  A  small  minority  continued 
to  stand  by  the  "Old  Constitution"  with  its  pro- 
hibition attitude  on  the  liquor  question,  secret 
societies,  and  war.  The  U.  S.  Census  Statistics 
(1906)  credit  the  denomination  with  296,050  com- 
municants; of  this  number  upwards  of  70,000  are 
found  in  the  state  of  Ohio  with  Dayton  as  its 
principal  center  of  activity.  The  denomination 
is  also  represented  in  Germany,  and  it  maintains 
missionaries  in  the  Phillippines,  Japan,   and  China. 

— -&m- — 


187 


ADVENTISTS. 

There  are  six  Protestant  sects  of  Adventists 
in  this  country:  "Evangelical  Adventists,"  "Ad- 
vent Christians,"  "Seventh  Day  Adventists," 
"Church  of  God,"  "Life  and  Advent  Union,"  and 
"Age-to-come   Adventists." 

Their  common  belief  is  that  Jesus  Christ  will 
speedily  come  and  personally  commence  His  much 
mooted  hypothetical  Millennium.  Moreover  they 
agree  in  rejecting  infant  baptism,  thus  depriving 
children  of  the  possibility  of  entering  the  kingdom 
of  God ;  for  "unless  a  man  be  born  again  of  water 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God."  St.  John  3;  5.  Adventists  baptize 
adults  by  immersion. 

The  Evangelical  Adventists  date  back  their 
origin  to  William  Miller  (1781-1849),  who,  after  a 
close  but  idiosyncratic  study  of  the  Biblical  proph- 
ecies, announced  that  the  end  of  the  world  would 
come  in  1843.  Of  course  it  did  not  come.  Snow, 
his  disciple,  fixed  the  date  for  Oct.  22,  1844.  But 
happily  that  day  and  year  passed  without  the 
dread  catastrophe.  In  1845  these  visionaries  or- 
ganized under  the  name  of  Evangelical  Adventists. 
They  believe  that  all  will  rise  on  Judgment  Day: 
the  just  to  reign  with  Christ  during  the  Millen- 
nium and  later  on  with  Him  in  heaven ;  the  wicked 
will    be    condemned    to    hell.      Membership    1147. 

188 


ADVENTISTS 


The  Advent  Christians,  founded  in  1861,  main- 
tain that  the  souls  of  the  dead  slumber  and  remain 
unconscious  till  Christ  comes  again.  They  assert 
that  Christ  will  annihilate  the  wicked,  whereas  the 
just  will  live  for  ever.  Evidently,  they  never 
grasped  the  meaning  of  the  following  words  of 
Jesus  Christ:  "And  these  (the  wicked)  shall  go 
into  everlasting  punishment:  but  the  just,  into  life 
everlasting."  St.  Matth.  25 ;  46.  In  order  to  show 
what  Christ  meant  by  everlasting  punishment,  I 
shall  quote  His  own  words:  "Depart  from  me, 
you  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire  which  was  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  St.  Matth.  25 ; 
41.  When  the  wicked  go  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment, they  go  down  living  and  conscious  into  the 
everlasting,  never-ending  flames  of  hell.  This  is 
Bible  truth;  the  teaching  of  the  Godman  Jesus 
Christ.  According  to  the  census  report  the  Ad- 
vent Christians  have   26,799   members. 

The  Seventh  Day  Adventists  celebrate  the 
seventh  day  of  the  week  instead  of  Sunday.  They 
teach  the  utter  annihilation  of  the  wicked  on  Judg- 
ment Day,  a  doctrine,  as  we  saw  in  the  preceed- 
ing  paragraph,  evidently  contrary  to  the  teaching 
of  Christ.  Mrs.  E.  G.  White  is  their  presump- 
tuous interpreter  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Bible. 
They  organized  in  1845.     Their  number  is  61,427. 

The  Church  of  God  as  a  body  dates  back  to 
1865  and  is  made  up  of  such  members  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Adventists  as  refuse  to  acknowledge 

189 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

the  supposed  prophetic  gift  of  Mrs.  White  and  the 
forced  application  of  Apocalypse  12;  11-17,  to 
the  United  States  of  America.  It  counts  611  mem- 
bers. 

The  Life  and  Advent  Union  was  started  in 
1848,  but  not  fully  organized  until  1860.  Mem- 
bers of  this  sect  concede  eternal  rest  to  the 
damned  by  asserting  that  the  wicked  will  sleep 
for  ever.  It  is  a  dreamy  religion  with  a  member- 
ship of  3,800. 

The  Age-to-come  Adventists  organized  in 
1851.  They  believe  that  the  human  soul  is 
material  and  slumbers  in  the  grave  until  the  com- 
ing of  Christ  on  Judgment  Day,  when  the  just  re- 
ceive life  from  Jesus  Christ  and  the  sleepy  souls  of 
the  wicked  pass  out  of  existence.  This  absurd 
teaching  is  not  only  contrary  to  what  Jesus  plainly 
taught  concerning  the  everlasting  punishment  of  the 
wicked,  but  it  is  also  diametrically  opposed  to 
sound  philosophy.  The  human  soul,  God's  image 
and  likeness,  will  exist  for  ever  and  for  ever  be 
conscious  of  its  being.  This  body  numbers  2,872 
-adherents. 


190 


CHRISTIAN  CATHOLIC   CHURCH   IN   ZION. 
DOWIEITES. 

John  Alexander  Dowie  was  born  in  Edin- 
burgh, Scotland,  in  1847.  In  order  to  get  reliable 
information  concerning  this  man,  after  whom  the 
Dowieites  are  named,  I  wrote  a  letter  of  inquiry 
to  his  successor,  W.  G.  Voliva,  who  promptly  or- 
dered his  ecclesiastical  secretary  to  furnish  me 
the  desired  information  by  answering  my  letter 
and  liberally  forwarding  some  of  their  more  im- 
portant literature.  The  letter  written,  July  25, 
1911,  by  G.  L.  Carey,  General  Ecclesiastical  Sec- 
retary of  Zion  City,  111.,  offers  the  following  in- 
formation. 

Dr.  Dowie,  who  was  born  in  Edinburgh,. 
Scotland,  and  who  was  brought  up  in  Aus- 
tralia, and  entered  the  Christian  ministry  in 
that  country,  doing  a  large  amount  of  work,  came 
to  America  landing  at  San  Francisco  on  June  7, 
1888. 

After  working  actively  in  many  states  along 
the  Western  coast  preaching  the  Gospel  of  the 
Kingdom,  and  being  used  of  God  in  the  healing 
of  many  persons,  he  arrived  in  Chicago  in  July,. 
1890,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Evanston. 

In  the  city  of  Chicago,  he  labored  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  with  great  success,  though,  at  first,  he 
had  many  difficulties  and  the  work  assumed  only 
small  dimensions.    After  reaching  a  certain  point,. 

191 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

however,  before  which,  I  might  say,  he  had  been 
severely  tempted  to  give  up  the  work,  the  tide  of 
victory  came,  and  from  that  time  on  the  work 
grew  with  great  strides. 

Great  crowds  of  people  were  attracted  to  him, 
and  many  wonderful  healings  took  place;  and  his 
name  became  a  household  one  throughout  the  civ- 
ilized world. 

Regarding  his  preaching,  I  might  say  that 
Dr.  Dowie  "rung  the  changes"  on  repentance  call- 
ing upon  men  and  women  to  forsake  all  sin  and 
the  customs  of  the  world  which  were,  in  any  way, 
injurious  to  man. 

Very  prominent  in  his  teaching  was  the  sub- 
ject of  Divine  Healing  that  made  h'im  so  re- 
nowned. His  claim  was  that  the  Holy  Scriptures 
taught  that  men  must  forsake  all  earthly  physi- 
cians, and  that  God  alone  is  the  Healer  of  His 
people. 

He  stood  very  strongly  for  a  holy  Church. 
He  opposed  many  things  which  he  found  existed 
in  the  churches,  and  it  was  his  opposition  to  these 
things  that  made  him  many  enemies. 

Dr.  Dowie,  however,  was  a  man  who  was  not 
only  bold  on  the  platform  concerning  the  posi- 
tions which  he  took,  but  those  who  knew  him 
found  that  he  was  a  man  with  a  great  heart  of 
love ;  so  that  whilst  he  had  many  enemies,  he  had 
many  friends  amongst  those  who  were  not  affili- 
ated with  him  in  Church  life. 

192 


DOWIEITES 


For  many  years,  Dr.  Dowie  had  the  vision 
of  a  Zion  City;  and  when  the  opportune  time  ar- 
rived, he  took  his  first  step  in  realizing  this,  his 
cherished  ambition,  and  Zion  City  was  inaugur- 
ated really  when  the  portion  of  ground  known 
as  "The  Temple  Site"  was  dedicated  on  July  14, 
1901. 

Zion  City  was  founded  for  God's  people  and 
was  intended  to  be  an  illustration  of  applied 
Christianity.  The  lease  which  Dr.  Dowie  adopted 
for  persons  taking  up  residence  and  other  prop- 
erties here  was  a  unique  one,  forbidding  alcohol, 
tobacco,  theatres,  secret  societies,  swine  and 
swine's  flesh,  and  many  other  things. 

Many  people  came  here  and  much  money  was 
poured  into  Zion's  coffers,  and  great  progress  was 
made  and  a  wonderful  city  established.  Trouble- 
some times,  however,  came  along  owing  to  mis- 
management; and  then  Dr.  Dowie  took  sick  and 
passed  away;  but  the  man,  Wilbur  Glenn  Voliva, 
whom  Dr.  Dowie  had  chosen  to  be  his  successor, 
had  already  been  recalled  by  him  from  Australia 
to  take  up  the  reins. 

General  Overseer  Voliva  has  gone  right  ahead 
with  the  work  of  standing  for  the  same  truths  and 
principles  as  Dr.  Dowie  stood  for.  It  is  true  he 
has  met  with  some  opposition,  but  this  opposi- 
tion is  daily  weakening,  and  there  is  no  doubt  as 
to  the  outcome. 

Mr.  Voliva  has  had  great  success  during  the 
193 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

last  three  years  since  he  commenced  to  purchase 
back  from  the  Receiver  of  the  Zion  Estate  var- 
ious properties  in  the  city,  culminating  with  the 
purchase  from  the  Receiver  of  the  remainder  of 
the  estate. 

The  preaching  of  Zion  has,  for  its  keynote, 
the  Kingdom  of  God;  and  Zion  City  is  intended 
to  be  an  exemplification,  as  far  as  it  is  possible 
to  make  it,  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  It 
is  only  a  beginning,  it  is  true  but  we  believe  it 
is  a  beginning.,,    So  far  the  letter. 

Alexander  Dowie  called  his  religious  organ- 
ization "The  Christian  Catholic  Apostolic  Church," 
and,  after  meeting  with  many  disappointments 
among  his  adherents,  he  died  March  9,  1907.  W. 
G.  Voliva  succeeded  him,  whilst  the  Dowieites 
were  divided  into  two  factions ;  some  stubbornly 
refusing  to  acknowledge  Voliva  as  General  Over- 
seer of  Zion  City,  others  preferring  his  executive 
abilities  to  those  of  the  Dowie  family. 

The  Dowieites  believe  in  the  Blessed  Trin- 
ity. They  adore  Jesus  Christ  and  venerate  the 
Bible  as  the  inspired  book  of  God.  Dowieites  ad- 
mit that  hell  fire  is,  as  Christ  says,  everlasting. 
They  believe  that  good  works  are  necessary  as 
well  as  faith.  The  following  extract  from  Vo- 
liva's  "Leaves  of  Healing,"  July  23,  1911,  will 
show  this:  "The  Apostle  says  that  a  fountain 
cannot  send  forth  at  one  time,  both  sweet  and 
bitter  water.     God  does    not   like   any   "half-way" 

194 


DOWIEITES 


service.  When  you  come  to  this  altar,  you  put 
your  whole  being  down  there — your  all :  your 
spirit,  your  soul,  your  body,  your  memory — every- 
thing that  is  precious  to  you  that  is  good  iox 
something — God  does  not  want  any  trash,  nor 
any  whiskey,  nor  any  tobacco.  If  a  man  has  a 
whiskey  store,  or  a  tobacco  store,  he  does  not 
consecrate  it  to  God;  he  cannot,  for  God  will  not 
accept  it.  God  wants  a  pure,  holy  sacrifice:  a 
clean  man."  Since  Dowieites  presume  that  it  is 
wrong  to  have  a  tobacco  store,  they  cannot  con- 
secrate it  to  God:  they  have  to  stay  out  of  that 
business.  The  Lord  has  nowhere  forbidden  the 
traffic  of  either  whiskey  or  tobacco.  The  abuse, 
however,  of  either  article  is  a  sin  against  the 
fifth  Commandment:     "Thou   shalt   not   kill." 

In  1896,  when  Dowie  was  trying  to  form  his 
new  church,  he  made  the  following  assertion  con- 
cerning baptism :  "I  am  a  firm  believer  in  Bap- 
tism as  essential  to  a  full  and  perfect  Obedience, 
but  if  you  desire  to  make  Baptism  a  test  of 
Christian  Fellowship,  I  decline  to  be  in  such  a 
Church,  because  I  was  a  Christian  before  I  was 
immersed." — A  Voice  from  Zion.  Dowieites  are 
baptized  by  threefold  immersion.  They  do  not 
believe  that  a  person  becomes  a  child  of  God  by 
baptism ;  but  hold,  on  the  contrary,  that  one  must 
be  a  child  of  God  previous  to  immersion.  Here 
they  are  at  variance  with  the  saying  of  Jesus 
Christ:     "Amen,  amen  I  say  to  thee,  unless  a  man 

195 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

be  born  again  of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  St.  John 
3;  5.  In  the  Acts  we  read:  "Do  penance,  and  be 
baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  for  the  remission  of  your  sins.,,  Acts  2; 
38.  Before  original  sin  and  other  mortal  sins  are 
remitted,  a  person  cannot  be  called  a  child  of  God. 

Dowieites  have  communion  services  in  mem- 
ory of  the  Last  Supper,  during  which  they  receive 
bread  and  wine ;  and  whilst  they  partake  of  this, 
they  implore  God  that  this  eating  may  result  in 
a  spiritual  communion  and  partaking  of  the  Blood 
of  Christ.  Their  notion  on  the  Blessed  Eucharist 
is  about  as  hazy  as  can  be  imagined,  whereas  the 
words  of  Jesus  are  as  plain  as  they  can  be :  "This 
is  my  Body.    This  is  my  Blood." 

Dowie  once  said:  "There  can  never  be  a 
new  church  unless  it  be  a  false  church.  That 
whic'h  is  true  with  regard  to  Church  organization 
is  not  new ;  and  that  which  is  new  is  not  true." 
A  Voice  from  Zion,  P.  43.  On  the  next  page  he 
maintains :  "The  Church  of  God  in  each  genera- 
tion must  be  a  Building  whole  and  complete  in 
itself,  and  must  be  such  a  Building  today  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  as  it  was  nineteen  centuries 
ago."  Nineteen  centuries  ago,  as  may  be 
seen  from  the  Testimony  of  Well  Known  Writers 
of  the  First  Five  Centuries,  in  this  very  book, 
page  16  et  seq.  Christians  believed  in  the  unin- 
terrupted  continuation  of  the   Church  which  Jesus 

196 


DOWIEITES 


founded;  they  believed  in  the  necessity  of  bap- 
tism for  the  forgiveness  of  sins  as  a  means  of 
becoming  a  true  Christian ;  they  professed  their 
belief  in  the  Real  Presence  and  in  fact  in  all  the 
teachings  which  the  members  of  that  same  Church 
believe  and  practice  today.  The  Church  of  "Prim- 
itive Christianity,"  to  which  Dowieites  are  fond 
to  refer,  continues  throughout  all  ages,  teaching 
and  believing  everywhere   the  same. 

Dowie's  associate,  Mr.  Calverly,  a  former 
Methodist,  made  this  remark  anent  Christianity: 
"What  we  have  left  has  been  handed  down  prin- 
cipally from  the  Apostate  Roman  Catholic  Church 
— a  miserable  institution."  Suffice  it  to  add  that 
Calverly's  "miserable  institution"  is  in  no  way 
the  real  Roman  Catholic  Church,  but  simply  a 
creation  of  his  deeply  prejudiced  mind;  but  it  is 
true  that  what  is  left  of  Christianity,  and  thanks 
to  God  all  is  left  of  it,  has  been  handed  down  and 
is  being  handed  down  by  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church. 

As  far  as  I  can  gather  from  his  writings  and 
sermons,  Dowie  spoke  respectfully  of  the  Catholic 
Church  and  its  means  of  salvation.  Speaking  on 
St.  John  20 ;  23  he  remarks :  "I  know  that  some 
may  think  immediately  that  this  approaches  per- 
ilously near  to  Rome.  I  do  not  care  a  pin;  if  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  has  a  truth  I  am  going 
to  say  it,  and  I  do  not  care  who  takes  the  other 
side."    A  Voice  from  Zion,  P.  11.     It  is  a  pity  that 

197 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

Dowie  did  not  know  much  about  the  Catholic 
Church,  otherwise  he  would  have  said  the  truths 
of  this  Church  and  led  his  people  into  it.  He 
failed  to  do  it.  Therefore,  he  was  either  ignorant 
of  what  the  Catholic  Church  teaches  or  he  was 
not  sincere  in  his  statement. 

Every  month  the  Dowieites  are  supposed  to 
come  to  their  temple  and  make  a  general  confes- 
sion of  repentance  and  of  faith.  On  such  occasions 
Dowie  would  ask  them:  "Do  you  mean  it?"  Up- 
on the  answer:  "I  do  mean  it,"  he  would  assure 
them  that  their  sins  were  forgiven.  He  was  in 
no  way  a  legitimate  successor  of  the  Apostles, 
and  therefore  he  had  absolutely  no  right  to  assure 
them  of  a  thing  of  which  he  himself  knew  nothing. 
To  the  Apostles  and  their  rightful  successors  was 
given  the  power  to  forgive  and  to  retain  sins. 
Jesus,  addressing  His  Apostles,  said  to  them : 
deceive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whose  sins  you 
shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  them;  and  whose 
sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  retained."  St.  John 
20;  22,  23. 

The  government  of  Dowie's  new  church  is 
monarchical;  and  the  members  love  to  call  it  The 
Kingdom  Movement  of  Zion.  We  have  no  ad- 
verse criticism  to  offer  on  their  pious  endeavor 
ito  keep  other  denominations  out  of  their  city. 

Moreover  we  add  that  it  is  pleasing  to  God 
to  pray  for  the  recovery  of  the  sick;  but  it  is  dis- 
pleasing   to  Him    to  refuse    to  make  use    of  the 

198 


DOWIEITES 


medicinal  helps  which  He  has  prepared  for  us  in 
nature,  of  which  He  Himself  is  the  author.  It 
is  wrong,  anti-biblical  and  diametrically  opposed 
to  God's  own  verdict,  to  say  that  it  is  sinful  to 
have  recourse  to  a  physician.  Dowieites  believe 
that  God  inspired  the  writers  of  the  Bible.  In 
the  Bible  we  read :  "Honor  the  physician  for  the 
need  thou  hast  of  him :  for  the  most  High  hath 
created  him.  For  all  healing  is  from  God,  and 
he  shall  receive  gifts  of  the  king.  The  skill  of  the 
physician  shall  lift  up  his  head,  and  in  the  sight 
of  great  men  he  shall  be  praised.  The  most  High 
hath  created  medicines  out  of  the  earth,  and  a 
wise  man  will  not  abhor  them.  Was  not  bitter 
water  made  sweet  with  wood?  The  virtue  of 
these  things  is  come  to  the  knowledge  of  men, 
and  the  most  High  hath  given  knowledge  to  men, 
that  he  may  be  honored  in  his  wonders.  By  these 
he  shall  cure  and  allay  their  pains,  and  of  these 
apothecary  shall  make  sweet  confections,  and  shall 
make  up  ointments  of  health,  and  of  his  works 
there  shall  be  no  end.  For  the  peace  of  God  is 
over  all  the  face  of  the  earth.  My  son,  in  thy 
sickness  neglect  not  thyself,  but  pray  to  the  Lord,, 
and  he  shall  'heal  thee.  Turn  away  from  sin  and 
order  thy  hands  aright,  and  cleanse  thy  heart  from 
all  offence.  Give  a  sweet  savor,  and  a  memorial 
of  fine  flour,  and  make  a  fat  offering,  and  then 
give  place  to  the  physician.  For  the  Lord  created 
him :    and    let    him  not    depart  from    thee,  for    his 

199 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

works  are  necessary.  For  there  is  a  time  when 
thou  must  fall  into  their  hands:  and  they  shall 
beseech  the  Lord,  that  he  would  prosper  what 
they  give  for  ease  and  remedy,  for  their  conversa- 
tion. He  that  sinneth  in  the  sight  of  his  Maker, 
shall  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  physician."  Ec- 
clesiasticus  38;  1-15. 

Though  the  Dowieites,  as  well  as  the  Eddy- 
ists,  or  "Christian  Scientists,"  refuse  medical  aid, 
they  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  latter. 
Dowieites  are  Christians;  "Christian  Scientists" 
are  not.  Dowieites  hope  that  God  cure  them; 
Eddyists  pretend  to  cure  by  sheer  mental  effort. 
There  is  an  essential  difference  between  Faith- 
Cure  and  Mental  Healing.  Dowieites  adore  Jesus 
Christ,  Eddyists  do  not;  they  deny  His  divinity. 
Dowieites  believe  in  the  necessity  of  penance  and 
good  works  in  order  to  gain  heaven;  Eddyists 
deny  sin,  death,  hell,  and  all  consequences  of  sin. 
Dowieites  believe  that  God  is  the  Creator  of 
Heaven  and  earth;  Eddyists  maintain  that  every- 
thing is  a  part  of  God  or,  to  use  their  own  lan- 
guage, that  God  is  All  in  all,  that  He  is  the  only 
Mind. 

The  Dowieites  in  general  are  well-meaning 
people.  They  pride  themselves  on  belonging  to  the 
"Christian  Catholic  Church."  May  God  grant  them 
the  grace  really  to  become  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian Catholic  Church  which  Jesus  founded  not  in 
Zion  City,  but  in  Palestine  some  nineteen  hundred 

200 


DOWIEITES 


years  ago,  and  which  still  exists  as  He  Himself 
foretold,  and  which  is  none  other  than  the  Catho- 
lic Church  of  which  the  Pope  at  Rome  and  not 
the  Overseer  at  Zion  City  is  the  supreme  visible 
head. 

According  to  the  Statistics  of  1911  as  given 
in  the  World  Almanac,  the  membership  of  this  sect 
is  5,865 ;  though  the  Dowieites  themselves  claim 
many  more  adherents. 


201 


SALVATION  ARMY. 

Salvationists. 

William  Booth  and  his  wife  Catherine,  both 
preachers  of  the  Methodist  New  Connection,  since 
1865  devoted  a  great  deal  of  time  to  the  noble 
work  of  instructing  and  bettering  the  inhabitants 
of  the  lowest  slums  in  London, thus  trying  to  lead 
all  classes  of  profligates,  thieves,  drunkards,  liber- 
tines and  vagabonds  to  a  better  life.  Moreover 
they  preached  to  all  who  cared  to  listen  to  them. 
They  went  from  city  to  city  and  succeeded  in 
•gettirg  co-laborers  and  gradually  established 
small  societies,  which  they  called  "Christian  Mis- 
sion." In  1878  William  Booth  changed  the  name 
of  "Christian  Mission"  to  that  of  "Salvation  Army." 
By  that  time  he  and  his  wife  had  over  a  hundred 
co-laborers.  They  made  converts  among  the 
•ciasses  mentioned  and  also  among  other  people 
who  were  not  affiliated  with  any  particular  church 
organization. 

The  head  of  this  imitative  military  band  is 
called  General.  In  fact  the  military  idea  is  car- 
ried out  in  their  uniforms,  discipline,  titles,  and 
■services.  Their  local  associations  are  called 
"corps,"  their  ministers,  both  men  and  women, 
""officers,"  their  public  prayers  "knee  drills,"  their 
public  religious  exercises  "skirmishes,"  etc.  We 
see  them  in  cities  with  their  banners,  making 
•all    kinds  of    noise  with    drums  and  cymbals  and 

202 


SALVATION  ARMY. 


shouting  "hallelujah."  Whilst  one  of  them  speaks,, 
the  others  applaud,  and  women  wave  their  hand- 
kerchiefs. In  connection  with  some  well-meant 
address,  some  of  them  will  step  out  to  tell  the 
story  of  their  conversion.  Though  the  story  is 
often  told  in  the  most  uncouth  manner,  the  pur- 
pose of  it  all  is  to  give  glory  to  Christ,  who 
saved  them,  and  induce  other  similar  sinners  to 
quit  sin  and  lead  a  better  life. 

As  might  be  expected,  many  of  the  enthusias- 
tic converts  relapse  after  a  short  time,  and  great 
scandals  occur;  for  which,  however,  the  Salva- 
tion Army  ought  not  to  be  blamed.  Some  remain 
firm  in  their  good  resolutions  and  henceforth  lead 
an  honest  life.  Imitating  the  Catholic  Brothers 
and  Sisters  of  benevolent  institutions,  the  Salva- 
tion Army  helps  to  feed  the  hungry  and  to  take 
care  of  the  needy. 

Members  of  the  Salvation  Army  are  not 
known  as  church-goers,  on  the  contrary  they  pre- 
fer to  parade  on  the  public  streets.  Mohammed- 
ans and  heathens,  as  well  as  Christians,  can  be- 
come members  of  the  Salvation  Army  without 
changing  their  creed.  The  Salvationists  do  not 
even  consider  baptism  and  Holy  Eucharist  in  any 
way  necessary  for  salvation.  In  their  meetings 
doctrinal  disputes  are  to  be  avoided;  but  all  are 
supposed  to  believe  that  mankind  was  totally  cor- 
rupted by  the  fall  of  Adam;  that  contrition  and 
penance  are  necessary;  that  justification  is  accom- 

203 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

plished  solely  through  the  belief  in  the  atoning 
blood  and  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  witness 
of  the  Holy  Ghost;  that  all  mankind  will  be 
judged  on  the  last  day;  that  heaven  is  the  eternal 
reward  of  these  that  are  saved,  and  that  hell  is 
the  eternal  punishment  for  those  who  are  lost. 

The  Salvation  Army  wisely  makes  no  pretense 
of  being  the  one  true   Church. 

In  the  United  States  this  denomination  counts 
at  present  26,850  adherents  divided  into  two 
bodies,  the  Salvation  Army  established  by  Booth 
and  the  American  Salvation  Army,  which  seceded 
from  the  former  in  1882  under  Moore.  The  orig- 
inal organization  is  primarily  philantropic,  the 
latter  primarily  religious. 


204 


MORMONS,  OR  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST 
OF   LATTER-DAY  SAINTS. 

Joseph  Smith,  born  in  Sharon  township,  Wind- 
sor Co.,  Vermont,  Dec.  23,  1805,  is  the  founder 
of  Mormonism.  He  claimed  that  a  heavenly  mes- 
senger by  the  name  of  Moroni  appeared  to  him 
on  the  night  of  Sept.  21,  1823,  who  revealed  to 
him  three  times  that  a  complete  record  written 
upon  gold  plates  with  two  transparent  stones  in 
silver  bows  like  spectacles,  by  means  of  which 
the  ancient  record  could  be  read,  were  deposited 
in  the  earth,  in  a  hill  (which  was  shown  him), 
near  Manchester,  Ontario  Co.,  New  York.  He, 
moreover,  states  that  this  angel  placed  these  rec- 
ords of  gold  and  the  stone  spectacles,  called 
Urim  and  Thummim,  into  his  hands  on  Sept.  22, 
1827.  Sitting  behind  a  blanket  to  shield  these 
records  from  profane  eyes,  the  two  stones  upon 
his  nose,  Joseph  Smith,  the  visionary,  (so  he 
says)  began  to  read  these  records,  the  wonderful 
Book  of  Mormon.  What  Joseph  Smith  read  by 
means  of  stone  spectacles,  Oliver  Cowdery  wrote 
down.  Joseph  Smith  had  never  learned  to  read 
or  write  well,  for  his  schooling  had  been  somewhat 
neglected. 

The  "Book  of  Mormon"  was  published  1830. 
It    contains  a    peculiar    Testimony  of  Three    Wit- 

205 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

nesses,  who  claim  that  they  saw  the  plates.  Since 
I  have  the  book  before  me,  as  I  write,  I  quote  a 
few  sentences  of  the  testimony  of  the  three  wit- 
nesses :  "And  we  also  testify  that  we  have  seen 
the  engravings  which  are  upon  the  plates;  and 
they  have  been  shewn  unto  us  by  the  power  of 
God,  and  not  of  man.  And  we  declare  with  words 
of  soberness,  that  an  angel  of  God  came  down 
from  heaven,  and  he  brought  and  laid  before  our 
eyes,  that  we  beheld  and  saw  the  plates,  and  the 
engravings  thereon."  The  names  signed  are:  Oli- 
ver Cowdery,  David  Whitmer,  Martin  Harris. 
Several  years  afterwards  all  these  three  witnesses 
quarrelled  with  Smith,  renounced  Mormonism 
and  declared  that  their  testimony  in  the  Book  of 
Mormon  is  false.  When  Oliver  Cowdery,  David 
Whitmer  and  Martin  Harris  admitted  the  falsity 
of  their  testimony  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  eight 
other  witnesses  with  equal  soberness  asserted 
that  they  saw  the  plates  from  which  Joseph  Smith 
translated  by  the  aid  of  stone  spectacles. 

Xobody  else  ever  saw  these  golden  plates. 
The  imposition  is  very  palpable.  Although  re- 
peatedly and  loudly  demanded,  these  supposed 
golden  plates  have  never  been  forthcoming.  Even 
among  the  Mormon  leaders  the  knowledge  of  those 
fabulous  plates  and  wonderful  stone  spectacles  is 
at   most    traditional. 

Though  his  neighbors  witnessed  against  Jo- 
seph Smith,  and  many  held  him  up  to  ridicule,  he 

206 


MORMONS 


succeeded  in  organizing  his  church  at  Fayette,  N. 
Y.,  April  6,  1830,  under  the  pretentious  name  of 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints.  He 
himself  was  accepted  by  his  disciples  as  their  first 
elder,  and  was  subsequently  honored  by  them  as 
prophet  and  revelator.  In  1843,  when  his  lawful 
wife  was  jealous  because  of  his  cohabiting  with 
other  women,  Joseph  Smith,  had  another  vision 
which  resulted  in  establishing  polygamy,  which  he 
taught  and  practiced.  Others  followed  his  ex- 
ample. This  public  scandal  caused  the  trouble  at 
Nauvoo,  111.,  between  the  Mormon  militia  and  the 
U.  S.  soldiers.  The  governor  of  the  state  per- 
suaded the  two  Smiths,  Joseph  and  Hyrum  to 
surrender  and  stand  a  trial.  But  whilst  they 
were  in  prison  at  Carthage,  a  mob  overpowered 
the  guards  and  shot  and  killed  Hyrum  Smith  in- 
stantly. Joseph  Smith  used  his  revolver  on  the 
mob,  but  when  his  charges  were  exhausted  in  his 
attempt  to  escape,  he  was  shot  and  fell  to  the 
ground  dead,  June  27,  1844.  Thus  died  the  founder 
of  Mormonism,  the  advocate  of  polygamy. 

Soon  after,  Brigham  Young  was  chosen  first 
president  of  the  Mormons.  In  1845  the  Illinois 
legisature  repealed  the  Nauvoo  charter.  A  year 
later  Brigham  Young  went  west  and  finally  ar- 
rived in  Salt  Lake  Valley,  July  24,  1847.  Salt 
Lake  City  was  founded  by  the  Mormons  that 
same  year.  It  became  their  lasting  home. 
Brigham    Young    was     not     only    their    spiritual 

207 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

leader,  but  upon  the  acknowledged  petition  sent 
to  President  Millard  Fillmore,  he  became  their 
rightful  governor,  1850.  The  practice  of  polyg- 
amy has  brought  them  repeatedly  into  conflict 
with  the  laws  of  the  land. 

It  may  seem  strange  to  the  reader  that  the 
Book  of  Mormon  forbids  polygamy,  whereas  the 
founder  of  Mormonism  practiced  it  to  such  an 
extent  that  sixteen  women  testified  against  him 
on  account  of  this  vice.  In  the  book  of  Jacob 
(the  third  book  in  the  Book  of  Mormon)  chapter 
3,  V.  27,  we  read  as  follows :  "Wherefore,  my 
brethren,  hear  me  and  hearken  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord ;  for  there  shall  not  any  man  among  you 
have  save  it  be  one  wife ;  and  concubines  he  shall 
have  none."  Joseph  Smith,  in  spite  of  this,  es- 
tablishes polygamy  as  perfectly  in  harmony  with 
the  will  of  God. 

The  Mormons  have  a  wrong  conception  of 
the  fall  of  man.  They  believe:  "Adam  fell  that 
men  might  be ;  and  men  are,  that  they  might  have 
joy."  2  Nephi,  2 ;  25.  In  other  words  they  imag- 
ine that  Adam's  sin  was  that  of  lust.  Holy  Scrip- 
ture says  plainly:  "And  the  woman  saw  that 
the  tree  was  good  to  eat,  and  fair  to  the  eyes,  and 
delightful  to  behold :  and  she  took  of  the  fruit 
thereof,  and  did  eat,  and  gave  to  her  husband 
who  did  eat."     Gen.  3 ;  6. 

They  believe  in  the  necessity  of  baptism. 
"And  now,  if  the    Lamb  of  God,    he  being    holy, 

208 


MORMONS 


should  have  need  to  be  baptized  by  water,  to 
fulfill  all  righteousness,  O  then,  how  much  more 
need  have  we,  being  unholy,  to  be  baptized,  yea, 
even  by  water."  2  Nephi,  Chap.  31,  V.  5.  More- 
over they  believe  in  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of 
God.  "And  behold,  he  shall  be  born  of  Mary, 
at  Jerusalem  (?)  which  is  in  the  land  of  our  fore- 
fathers, she  being  a  virgin,  a  precious  and  chosen 
vessel,  who  shall  be  overshadowed,  and  conceive 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  bring  forth 
a  son,  yea,  even  the  Son  of  God."  Alma,  Chap. 
r,  V.  10. 

Mormons  believe  in  the  Blessed  Trinity  as 
is  very  plainly  seen  from  different  passages  in 
the  Book  of  Mormon ;  they  believe,  too,  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God;  that  all  men  through 
the  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ  may  be  saved  by 
obedience  to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the 
Gospel.  By  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  they  under- 
stand:  Faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  Baptism 
by  immersion  for  the  remission  of  sins ;  Repent- 
ance, and  Laying  on  of  hands  for  the  gift  of  tie 
Holy  Ghost. 

According  to  Elder  M.  F.  Cowley,  in  his  book 
"Cowley's  Talks  On  Doctrine,"  page  83:  "The 
Latter  Day  Saints  regard  our  Heavenly  Father 
as  possessing  an  actual  tabernacle  of  flesh  and 
bones  (not  blood),  and  that  in  His  image  man  is 
created."  We  know  by  the  authority  of  St.  John 
that  Jesus   said:     "God   is   a   spirit."     St.   John  4; 

209 


OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOMINATIONS 

24.  On  another  occasion  Jesus  said:  "A  spirit 
hath  not  flesh  and  bones."  St.  Luke  24;  39.  The 
Mormon  flesh  and  bone  theory  of  God  is  wrong; 
for  God  is  a  spirit  and  a  spirit  has  not  flesh  and 
bones. 

"As  Latter  Day  Saints  we  believe  that  all 
creation  existed  spiritually  before  the  physical  or- 
ganism was  brought  into  existence."  Cowley's 
Talks  on  Doctrine,  P.  154.  They  base  this  theory 
upon  Genesis  1 ;  24,  by  confounding  spiritual  ex- 
istence with  kinds  of  creatures.  And  God  said: 
"Let  the  earth  bring  forth  the  living  creature  in 
its  kind,  cattle  and  creeping  things,  and  beasts' 
of  the  earth,  according  to  their  kinds.  And  it 
was  so  done."    Gen.  1 ;  24. 

On  marriage  Mormons  hold  this  opinion: 
"We  believe  that  God  ordained  the  union  of  the 
sexes  in  marriage,  not  only  for  time  but  for  all 
eternity."     Cowley's  Talks  on   Doctrine,  P.  274. 

Jesus  teaches  a  different  doctrine.  When  the 
Saducees  trying  to  argue  against  the  resurrection, 
brought  the  example  of  one  woman  who  had  been 
successively  married  to  seven  brothers  and  then 
died,  they  asked  Jesus:  "At  the  resurrection 
therefore  whose  wife  of  the  seven  shall  she  be? 
for  they  all  had  her.  And  Jesus  answering,  said 
to  them:  You  err,  not  knowing  the  Scriptures, 
nor  the  power  of  God.  For  in  the  resurrection 
they  shall  neither  marry  nor  be  married;  but  shall 

210 


MORMONS 


be  as   the  angels   of   God  in  heaven."     Matth.  22; 
28-30. 

Abortion  and  other  practices  of  the  race  sui- 
cide category  scarcely  ever  occur  among  the  Mor- 
mons. As  a  rule  they  have  large  families.  "Be- 
cause the  children  are  numerous  they  are  not 
weaker,  but  usually  stronger  in  body  and  intel- 
lect than  in  communities  where  the  blighting  curse 
of  a  reprehensible  modern  custom  prevails.  The 
wives  of  men  thus  taught  and  convinced  of  the 
sacredness  of  their  procreative  functions  are 
healthier  and  happier  in  the  home  than  are  wives 
and  mothers  in  other  communities."  Cowley's 
Talks  on   Doctrine,  P.  276. 

Mormons  dream  of  a  happy  Millennium  when 
the  Savior  will  visibly  dwell  and  reign  on  earth  in 
peace  and  universal  happiness  for  one  thousand 
years  at  Zion,  the  holy  city  of  Jerusalem.  He 
will  put  His  feet  on  Mount  Olivet,  "and  the 
mount  will  cleave  in  twain."  The  Jews  will  con- 
vert to  Jesus  and  will  be  baptized  for  the  remis- 
sion of  their  sins. 

The  total  number  of  Mormons,  or  Latter  Day 
Saints  is  about  400,650.  In  the  l'n;*ed  States 
there  are  256,647  communicants  divided  into  two 
sects;  the  smaller  one  with  40,851  adherents  has 
always  been  opposed  to  polygamy.  It  was  organ- 
ized  in   1853. 


211 


PRETENDING  TO  BE  CHRISTIANS. 


UNIVERSALISTS. 

James  Relly,  an  associate  of  Whitefield  in 
preaching  Calvinistic  Methodism  gradually  ex- 
changed his  severe  views  of  predestination  for 
the  other  extreme  of  ultimate  salvation  for  all, 
good,  and  bad  alike  about  1750.  He  succeeded  in 
gathering  a  congregation  of  adherents  in  England. 

One  of  his  preachers,  John  Murray,  came  to 
America  in  1770  and  began  to  preach  Relly's 
tenets  in  Boston.  All  who  adopted  this  extremely 
optimistic  view  were  called  Universalists.  The 
sect  was  organized  on  this  continent  in  1785.  John 
Murray  died   1815. 

Universalists  uniformly  believe  that  ultimately 
all  mankind  will  be  saved.  Some  of  them  main- 
tain that  all  go  straight  to  heaven  as  soon  as 
they  die;  others  hold  that  the  wicked  will  be 
punished  for  a  while,  but  that  none  will  be  pun- 
ished everlastingly.  They  do  not  believe  in  the 
existence  of  hell.  Of  Jesus  they  speak  as  of  a 
man  divinely  sent  and  gifted  with  spirit  and 
power  above  all  other  created  intelligences ;  they 
regard  Him  as  a  superior  being  in  whom  God 
displayed  the  brightness  of  His  glory.  They  deny 
the  doctrine  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  and  thus  the 
Godhead  of    Jesus  Christ.     When    they    speak  of 

212 


UNIVERSALISTS 


His  divinity,  they  simply  mean  that  He  was  di- 
vinely sent  and  that  God  in  a  special  way  mani- 
fested Himself  in  Him.  In  this  sense  they  ad- 
mit His  "divinity,"  but  they  flatly  deny  His 
"Godhead."  In  brief,  they  do  not  believe  that  He 
is   God. 

Whenever  the  utterances  of  Christ  are  too 
plainly  opposed  to  their  views  they  resort  to  quib- 
bling. If  they  actually  believe  that  Jesus 
"is  gifted  with  spirit  and  power  above  all  intelli- 
gence," they  ought  to  admit  the  truth  of  His 
statements.  Now  Jesus  says  that  on  the  last 
judgment  day  the  King  "shall  say  to  them  also 
that  shall  be  on  his  left  hand:  Depart  from  me, 
you  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire  which  was  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  St.  Matth. 
25;  41.  He  plainly  states  that  the  punishment 
will  last  as  long  as  the  reward;  for  He  says: 
"And  these  (the  wicked)  shall  go  into  everlasting 
punishment;  but  the  just  into  life  everlasting." 
St.  Matth.  25 ;  46. 

The  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  there  is  a 
chance  of  salvation  for  all,  even  for  the  greatest 
sinners,  if  they  co-operate  with  the  grace  of  God 
and  thus  sincerely  convert,  if  they  do  what  God 
wants  them  to  do,  and  becoming  thus  reconciled 
with  Him  die  in  the  state  of  sanctifying  grace. 
But  those  who  die  in  mortal  sin,  are  lost  for 
ever.  Death  cuts  off  for  them  the  opportunity  of 
salvation.     A  mortal  sin  is  a  willful  transgression 

213 


PRETENDING  TO   BE    CHRISTIANS 

of  the  law  of  God  in  an  important  matter.  Full 
knowledge  of  the  evil,  the  full  consent  of  the  will, 
and  an  important  matter  in  which  the  sin- 
ner offends,  is  necessary  to  constitute  such 
a  mortal  sin.  If  a  person  repents  of 
this  sin,  God  as  a  kind  Father,  is  willing  to  for- 
give; but  if  the  sinner  does  not  repent,  he  re- 
mains in  the  malice  of  the  evil  and  dies  as  an 
enemy  of  God.  It  stands  to  reason  that  God 
does  not  reward  His  enemies  with  everlasting 
happiness  in  heaven. 

Their  moral  persuasion  of  leading  people 
away  from  sin  and  to  the  practice  of  virtue  is 
curtly  given  in  the  "Profession  of  Faith,"  which 
was  adopted  at  Winchester,  N.  H.,  1803,  and  in 
which  we  read:  "We  believe  that  holiness  and 
true  happiness  are  inseparably  connected,  and 
that  believers  ought  to  be  careful  to  maintain 
order  and  practice  good  works ;  for  these  things 
are  good  and  profitable  unto  men."    Article  3. 

Universalists,  of  course,  have  not  a  shadow  of 
a  claim  to  be  the  Church  which  Jesus  founded; 
though  they  are  not  quite  so  un-Christian  as  the 
Unitarians,  with  whom  they  also  differ  in  hold- 
ing at  least  some  sort  of  supernatural  inspiration 
of  the  Bible. 

The  membership  is  given  as  64,158. 


214 


UNITARIANS. 

The  first  congregation  of  Unitarians  was  gath- 
ered in  London  about  the  year  1645  by  John  Biddle. 
He  is  called  the  "Father  of  English  Unitarian- 
ism/'  Church  history  shows  that  individuals  and 
temporary  sects  with  tendencies  similar  to  the 
Unitarians  appeared  spasmodically  in  the  course  of 
the  Christian   era. 

"The  founder  of  the  present  organized  body 
of  English  Unitarians  was  the  Rev.  Theophilus 
Linsley,  who  left  the  Church  of  England  and 
gathered  a  Unitarian  congregation  in  Essex  Street, 
London,  in  1774,  which  included  many  noted  peo- 
ple. He  was  followed  the  next  year  by  Dr.  Jo- 
seph Priestley,  famous  as  a  man  of  science,  and 
especially  as  the  discoverer  of  oxygen.  The  law 
at  that  time  held  the  denial  of  the  Trinity  to  be 
blasphemy,  and  it  was  not  until  1813  that  Unitar- 
ians were  placed  on  a  level  with  other  Dissen- 
ters."   W.  H.  Lyon,  A  Study  of  the  Sects. 

The  theology  of  the  Unitarian  sect  is  of 
a  negative  character  and  consists  mainly  in  a 
denial  of  Christian  doctrines  and  practices.  Uni- 
tarians reject  the  doctrine  of  the  Blessed  Trin- 
ity: the  dogma  of  three  persons  in  one  God. 
Moreover,  they  deny  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
His  supernatural  birth,  His  vicarious  atonement, 
and    the    institution    of    His    saving    sacraments. 

215 


PRETENDING   TO    BE    CHRISTIANS 

Original  sin  and  eternal  punishment  are  not  ad- 
mitted by  them.  In  short,  Unitarianism  is  simply 
a  negation  of  Christianity.  They  take  from  the 
Bible  what  suits  them  and  question  the  authen- 
ticity of  such  passages  as  do  not  agree  with  their 
opinions.  Though  esteeming  the  Bible  as  a  mas- 
terpiece of  literature,  they  deny  its  divine  in- 
spiration. 

They  deny  all  sacraments,  but  in  spite  of 
this  generally  adhere  to  the  rite  of  infant  bap- 
tism, and  hold  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  they  have 
in  their  churches  as  merely  commemorative  of  the 
death  of  Christ,  as  that  of  a  martyr  and  as  ex- 
pressive of  spiritual   communion   with  Him. 

Unitarians  claim  to  be  Christians  and  main- 
tain that  Christ  is  their  model  man.  But  all  those 
who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  who  deny  that 
He  is  God,  have  no  right  to  the  name  of  Christian. 

The  prophets  inspired  by  God  had  foretold 
that  God  would  redeem  the  world.  They  desig- 
nated Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Virgin,  whose 
birthplace  would  be  Bethlehem,  as  the  redeemer. 
For  a  more  complete  information  on  this  topic, 
so  dear  to  all  who  love  Jesus  Christ,  I  refer  the 
reader  to  the  booklet,  "A  Prophetic  Biography  of 
Jesus  Christ,"  which  may  be  procured  at  "The 
Messenger,',  Collegeville,  Indiana,  for  35  cts.  a 
ccpy. 

Jesus  proved  His  divinity  by  His  miracles, 
His    prophesies,  His    repeated  testimony,    and    es- 

216 


UNITARIANS 


pecially  by  His  own  resurrection  from  the  dead 
which  He  had  foretold.  Therefore  Jesus  is  God. 
That  He  publicly  claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
was  so  well  known  that  His  enemies  used  this  dec- 
laration as  an  argument  against  Him,  to  condemn 
Him  to  the  cross.  "Again  the  high  priest  asked 
him :  Art  thou  the  Christ  the  Son  of  the  blessed 
God?  And  Jesus  said  to  him:  I  am."  St.  Mark. 
14;  61,  62.  Read  the  accounts  of  the  passion  of 
Jesus  as  recorded  in  the  last  chapters  of  the  gos- 
pel   of    Sts.     Matthew,    Mark,     Luke,    and    John. 

From  the  time  of  Christ  unto  the  present  day 
the  enemies  of  Christ  have  denied  His  divinity. 
They  should  not  arrogate  to  themselves  the  name  of 
Christian.  We  know  that  Unitarian  literature  is 
directed  against  Christ's  divinity. 

Unitarianism  in  its  dogmatic  tenets  is  no 
more  Christian  than  Judaism,  Mohammedanism 
or  heathenism.  In  practice  they  may  resemble 
the  Christians  more  than  heathens  generally  do. 
No  Christian  can  at  the  same  time  be  a  Unitarian. 

In  this  country  the  Unitarians  are  credited 
with  an  affiliated  membership  of  only  70,542,  but 
there  are,  alas,  millions  of  nominally  Christian 
unbelievers  of  their  type. 


217 


UNITED    SOCIETY    OF    BELIEVERS. 
SHAKERS. 

Ann  Lee  is  the  foundress  of  the  United  So- 
ciety of  Believers,  better  known  as  Shakers.  She 
was  born  at  Manchester,  1736,  and  became  the 
mother  of  eight  children,  but  lost  every  one  of 
them  in  death.  The  loss  of  her  children  made  the 
woman  deeply  melancholy  and  temporarily  insane. 
During  these  fits  of  mental  suffering  she  muttered 
unintelligible  words,  which  her  admirers  explained 
as  strange  tongues  and  conversation  with  the 
spirits.  Being  persecuted  in  England,  she  came 
to  America,  where  she  succeeded  in  gathering  a 
sect  into  a  communistic  body  about  the  year  1774, 
who  were  soon  known  by  the  name  of  "Shakers." 
Ann  Lee  was  called  the  Elect  Lady  and  was 
venerated  as  the  leader  and  even  as  a  dispenser 
of  graces.     She  died  in  1784. 

The  Shakers  do  not  believe  in  the  divinity  of 
Jesus  Christ,  but  regard  Him  as  a  created  being, 
superior  to  all  other  creatures.  At  first  their  so- 
called  religious  meetings  were  exceedingly  boister- 
ous. They  started  their  meetings  with  shaking 
the  extremities  of  their  bodies,  worked  themselves 
into  a  nervous  fit  and  then  began  to  hop  and 
jump  up  and  down  the  floor,  clapping  their  hands 
and  shouting  with  frantic  glee.  All  of  a  sudden 
the  leader,  or  elder,  would  call  them  to  order.    They 

218 


SHAKERS 

would  stop  and  listen  to  his  discourse.  After  which 
they  would  pursue  their  boisterous  dancing  until 
becoming  completely  exhausted.  Even  at  this  date 
the  imaginary  divine  service  of  the  Shakers  is 
mainly  a  jumping,  clapping,  and  shouting  affair. 
It  is  anything  but  Christian.  In  their  meetings 
many  conduct  themselves  as  veritable  maniacs. 

The  total  membership  as  given  in  the  World 
Almanac  of  1911  is  516. 


219 


CHURCH   OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM. 

Emmanuel  Swedenborg,  born  Jan.  29.  1688, 
the  son  of  a  Swedish  Lutheran  bishop,  a  scholar 
of  considerable  eminence  and  author  of  many- 
philosophical,  mathematical  and  exegetical  works, 
is  the  founder  of  the  "Church  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem." He  expects  us  to  believe  that  God  in  a 
solemn  manner  had  destined  him  to  introduce  a 
new  and  permanent  era  of  Christianity,  that  the 
heavens  had  opened  to  his  gaze  and  the  mysteries 
of  God  were  unfolded  to  him,  and  many  other 
wonderful  things. 

Swedenborg  claims  that  the  New  Jerusalem, 
the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth,  commenced  on 
June  19th,  1770,  on  the  very  day  on  which  he  had 
completed  his  literary  work:  "True  Christian 
Religion;  containing  the  Universal  Theology  of 
the  New  Church";  and  that  upon  its  completion 
Jesus  Christ  sent  out  His  Apostles  through  the 
entire  spiritual  world  to  announce  to  the  spirits 
the  glad  tidings  that  henceforth  God's  kingdom 
was  to  remain  for  ever  and  ever. 

Thus  the  Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem  was 
established  in  1770  upon  the  mere,  albeit  per- 
haps honest,  presumption  of  the  visionary  Emman- 
uel Swedenborg. 

In  his  alleged  visit  to  the  spirit-world  he 
found  Luther  not  as  yet  converted  from  the  wrong 
doctrine    on    justification   and     consequently     still 

220 


CHURCH  OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM. 

barred  from  heaven,  and  Calvin,  he  saw  in  hell 
on  account  of  his  stubborn  refusal  to  abandon  his 
false  predestination  theory.  This  is  given  in  his 
book 'True  Religion,  etc.,"  Vol.  2,  P.  553  sequ. 

Swedenborg  does  not  hold  the  Lutheran  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith  alone,  but  he  in- 
sists upon  the  practice  of  charity,  upon  good 
works;  neither  does  he  in  any  way  agree  with 
Calvin  on  fatal  predestination. 

But  he  denies  original  sin,  the  necessity  of 
redemption,  the  Blessed  Trinity,  and  five  of  the 
Sacraments,  retaining  Baptism  and  the  Eucharist. 

In  his  interpretation  of  the  Bible,  or  rather 
part  of  the  Bible,  for  he  does  not  believe  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  nor  in  the  letters  of  St.  Paul, 
he  ignores  the  literal  sense  and  explains  passage 
upon  passage  in  an  allegorical  sense.  This  vo- 
luminous exegetical  work  is  called  "Arcana  Coe- 
lestia."  To  give  the  reader  a  better  knowledge 
of  his  mode  of  interpretation,  I  adduce  a  few  quo- 
tations from  the  first  volume  of  his  "Celestial 
Arcana."  "1.  That  the  Word  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment includes  arcana  of  heaven,  and  that  all  its 
contents,  to  every  particular  regard  the  Lord,  his 
heaven,  the  church,  faith,  and  the  things  relating 
to  faith  no  man  can  conceive  who  only  views  it 
from  the  letter.  For  the  letter,  or  literal  sense, 
suggests  only  such  things  as  repect  the  externals 
of  the  Jewish  church,  when,  nevertheless,  it  every- 
where   contains  internal    things,  which    do    not  in 

221 


PRETENDING  TO   BE    CHRISTIANS 

the  least  appear  in  those  externals  except  in  a  very 
few  cases,  where  the  Lord  revealed  and  unfolded 
them  to  the  apostles — as  that  sacrifice  is  signifi- 
cative of  the  Lord — and  that  the  church  of  Ca- 
naan and  Jerusalem  are  significative  of  heaven, 
on  which  account  they  are  called  the  heavenly 
Canaan  and  Jerusalem — and  that  Paradise  has  a 
like  signification.  2.  But  that  all  and  every  part 
cf  its  contents,  even  to  the  most  minute,  not  ex- 
cepting the  smallest  jot  and  tittle,  signify  and  in- 
volve spiritual  and  celestial  things,  is  a  truth  to 
this  day  deeply  hidden  from  the  Christian  world, 
in  consequence  of  which  little  attention  is  paid 
to  the  Old  Testament.  This  truth,  however,  might 
appear  plainly  from  this  single  circumstance:  that 
the  Word  being  of  the  Lord,  could  not  possibly 
be  given  without  containing  interiorly  such  things 
as  relate  to  heaven,  to  the  church,  and  to  faith. 
For,  if  this  be  denied,  how  can  it  be  called  the 
Word  of  the  Lord,  or  be  said,  to  have  any  life  in 
it?  From  whence  is  its  life,  but  from  those  things 
which  possess  life?  that  is  except  from  hence, 
that  all  things  in  it,  both  generally  and  particu- 
larly have  relation  to  the  Lord,  who  is  the  very 
Life  Itself?  Wherefore  whatsoever  does  not  in- 
teriorly regard  Him,  does  not  live;  nay,  whatso- 
ever expression  in  the  Word  does  not  involve 
Him  or  in  its  measure  relate  to  Him,  is  not  di- 
vine/'    Arcana  Coelestia,  Vol.  1 ;  No.  1,  2. 

Swedenborg  goes    to  the   extreme  in    his  alle- 
222 


CHURCH  OF    THE    NEW    JERUSALEM 

gorical  interpretation  of  Genesis;  for  here  he  en- 
tirely ignores  and  at  least  apparently  denies  the 
literal  sense.  He  offers  no  proof  for  the  correct- 
ness of  his  allegories  except  an  appeal  to  a  crea- 
tion of  his  phantasy  which  he  calls  the  "Most 
Ancient  People"  and  tells  us:  "It  was  well  known 
in   the   most  Ancient   Church." 

"In  the  beginning  God  created  Heaven,  and 
earth."  Gen.  1;  1.  By  create  Swedenborg  under- 
stands to  regenerate;  by  earth  he  denotes  man, 
who  was  void  of  good,  and  empty  of  truth. 

"And  the  earth  was  void  and  empty,  and 
darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep;  and  the 
Spirit  of  God  moved  over  the  waters."  Gen.  1 ;  2. 
Swedenborg  offers  this  allegorical  explanation: 
"The  faces  of  the  abyss  (deep)  are  the  lusts  of 
the  unregenerated  man,  and  the  falsities  thence 
originating  of  which  he  consists  and  in  which 
he  is  totally  immersed."    A.  C.,  V.  1,  No.  IB. 

"By  the  Spirit  of  God  is  meant  the  mercy  of 
the  Lord,  which  is  said  to  move,  or  brood,  as  a 
hen  broods  over  her  eggs."  A.  C.  P.  7;  No.  19. 
From  these  few  passages  it  becomes  manifest 
that  Swedenborg's  interpretation  may  be  very  ap- 
propriately   styled :     An    ingenious  play  of    fancy. 

His  form  of  Baptism  gives  us  a  clue  to  his 
opinion  on  the  Blessed  Trinity.  Members  of  the 
Church  of  New  Jerusalem  use  this  formulary: 
"I  baptize  thee  into  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,    who   is    Father,    Son,    and  Holy    Ghost/* 

223 


PRETENDING  TO    BE    CHRISTIANS 

This  excludes  three  distinct  persons  and  includes 
a  threefold  manifestation  of  one  and  the  same 
person.  Swedenborg  and  his  adherents  profess 
to  believe  in  the  Godhead  of  Jesus  Christ.  Jesus 
is  God,  the  Eternal  Truth.  But  He  said :  "I  will 
ask  the  Father,  and  He  shall  give  you  another 
Paraclete,  that  he  may  abide  with  you  for  ever." 
St.  John  14;  16.  Hereby  Jesus  indicates  that  His 
Father  is  a  person  different  from  Himself,  and 
the  other  Paraclete  is  neither  the  Father  nor 
Himself,  but  a  distinct  third  person.  "But  the 
Paraclete,  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will 
send  in  my  name,  he  will  teach  you  all  things,  and 
bring  all  things  to  your  mind,  whatsoever  I  shall 
have  said  to  you."    St.  John  14;  26. 

The  formulary  used  by  the  Swedenborgians 
is  not  scriptural ;  it  is  not  the  one  that  Jesus  Him- 
self has  given  us,  "Going,  therefore,  teach  ye 
all  nations;  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
St.  Matth.  28;  19. 

Even  if  we  admit  that  E.  Swedenborg  pos- 
sessed great  learning  and  well  deserved  fame,  we 
cannot  ignore  the  fact  that  his  writings  betray  a 
lamentable  ignorance  of  Church-History,  of  the 
early  Fathers,  and  of  the  dogmas  held  the  world 
over.  This  total  ignorance  of  ecclesiastical  and 
dogmatic  history  leads  him  to  the  gratuitous  as- 
sertion that  the  Council  of  Nice  fabricated  a  new 
and  erroneous  notion  of  the    Trinity.      His    whole 

224 


CHURCH  OF  THE  NEW  JERUSALEM. 

system  of  doctrines   is   dreamy   and   full   of  incon- 
sistencies. 

Though  the  author  and  founder  of  the  Church 
of  the  New  Jerusalem  is  extremely  sober  and  ear- 
nest, nevertheless  his  writings  contain  abundant 
matter  for  amusement  or  ridicule. 

That  J.  A.  Moehler  holds  a  similar  opinion 
will  appear  from  the  subjoined  passage: 

"Swedenborg  shows  great  pettiness,  and  even 
childishness,  in  making  a  sort  of  fire-work  out  of 
Holy  Writ.  In  the  spiritual  world,  says  he,  where 
the  Bible  is  preserved  in  holy  chests,  in  the  sanc- 
tuary of  the  Temple,  it  is  regarded  with  respect 
by  the  angels;  (here  the  fire-work  starts)  and  it 
is  as  radiant  as  a  real  star,  and,  at  times,  like  the 
sun  and  its  glimmering  splendor  forms  the  most 
magnificent  rainbow !  If  anyone,  with  his  hands 
or  clothes  (?),  touch  the  Bible,  he  is  immediately 
environed  with  a  brilliant  fire,  and  he  appears  as 
if  standing  in  the  midst  of  a  star  bathed  in  light!" 
Doctrinal  Differences,  P.  468,  469. 

Swedenborg  died,  March  29,  1772,  at  London, 
where  he  claimed  to  have  received  his  doctrines 
from  God.  His  death  was  owing  to  a  stroke  of 
apoplexy  which  had  disabled  him  since    1771. 

The  World  Almanac  of  1911  divides  the 
Swedenborgians  into  "General  Convention"  and 
"General  Church"  and  gives  the  total  membership 
of  the  Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem  in  this 
country  as  amounting  to  7,243. 

225 


CHURCH     OF     CHRIST,     SCIENTIST. 
"CHRISTIAN    SCIENCE,"    OR    EDDYISM. 

The  denomination  which  calls  itself  the  Church 
of  Christ,  Scientist,  but  which  is  more  properly 
styled  Eddyism  after  its  foundress,  is  neither 
Christian  nor  scientific  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
it  has  come  to  be  named  Christian  Science.  It 
was  founded  1876  at  Boston,  Mass.,  by  the  late 
Mrs.  Mary  Baker  Glover  Patterson  Eddy.  Her 
maiden  name  was  Baker;  the  other  names  she 
acquired  by  marrying  Mr.  Glover,  then  Mr.  Pat- 
terson, from  whom  she  was  divorced  and  during 
whose  lifetime  she  became  the  wife  of  Mr.   Eddy. 

The  sum  total  of  "Christian  Science"  tenets 
is  contained  in  her  book,  which  was  published  in 
1875.  It  is  called  "Science  and  Health  with  Key 
to  the  Scriptures."  From  the  contents  of  this  book, 
as  well  as  from  the  articles  in  the  Christian  Sci- 
ence Sentinel,  the  Christian  Science  Monitor,  and 
other  publications,  we  infer  that  the  "Christian 
Scientists'"  great  hobby  is  "mental  healing;"  i. 
e.,  getting  rid  of  the  idea  that  there  is  really  such 
a  thing  as  matter,  sickness,  sin,  and  the  conse- 
quences of  the  same. 

"Christian  Scientists"  do  not  believe  in  the 
Blessed  Trinity:  they  do  not  believe  that  there 
are  three  distinct  persons  in  God.  They  deny  the 
divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom  they  divide  into 
two  persons.      Angels    are   not  considered    spirits 

226 


SCIENTISTS,  EDDYISM. 


among  them,  but  only  divine  messages,  instead 
of  messengers.  Tfiey  deny  the  creation  of  man, 
the  maternity  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  the  fu- 
ture resurrection  of  all  men  as  well  as  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ,  ignoring  on  this  topic 
both  history  and  Holy  Scripture.  Original  sin, 
death,  and  hell  are  branded  as   delusions. 

Science  and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scrip- 
tures" contains  the  following  sentence  in  the  169th 
Edition  on  page  140:  "Man  is  neither 
young  or  old.  He  has  neither  birth 
nor  death."  On  page  107  we  read:  "The 
sensation  of  sickness  and  sin  exists  only  in  be- 
lief"; and  on  page  172:  "If  God  is  admitted  to 
be  the  only  Mind  and  Life  there  ceases  to  be 
any  opportunity  for  sin  and  death."  "Christian 
Scientists"  maintain  that  God  is  the  only  Mind 
and  Life. 

In  a  leaflet  entitled :  "The  Real  and  the  Un- 
real," the  Christian  Scientist  S.  J.  Hanna  writes: 
"We  wish  it  distinctly  understood  that  our  text- 
book does  not  treat  sin,  sickness,  and  death  lightly, 
as  some  seem  to  think.  On  the  contrary,  it 
teaches  that,  humanly  speaking,  they  are  to  be 
overcome  and  destroyed  as  Jesus  and  his  disciples 
overcame  and  destroyed  them.  It  teaches  that 
it  was  a  solemn  mission  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples 
to  prove  the  unreality  of  sin,  sickness,  and  death 
by  detroying  them,  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of 
Jesus'  followers  in  all   ages  to  strive  to  learn  the 

227 


PRETENDING   TO    BE    CHRISTIANS 

divine  law  by  virtue  of  which  he  did  this,  and 
having  learned  it  to  practice  it  in  the  interests  of 
suffering  and  dying   humanity." 

"Mental  healing"  in  this  case,  according  to 
their  theory,  would  consist  in  getting  rid  of  the 
idea  of  sin,  sickness,  and  death.  But  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  idea  is  not  identical  with  sin,  sick- 
ness and  death ;  and  therefore  even  if  you  succeed 
in  ignoring  sin,  the  sin  remains,  unless  it  is  re- 
pented for  and  forgiven.  Mrs.  Eddy  tried  hard 
to  ignore  death,  but  in  spite  of  this  she  died  Dec. 
4,  1910.  The  fallacy  of  their  reasoning  is  appar- 
ent. They  advise  people  to  fight  a  phantom,  to 
'destroy  something  unreal,  and  to  look  upon  actual 
things  and  occurrences  as  mere  delusions  of  mor- 
tal mind. 

Under  the  guise  of  mind,  they  idolize  the 
'body.  I  have  perused  their  literature :  "Science 
and  Health  with  Key  to  the  Scriptures";  "Christian 
Science  Sentinel,"  a  weekly  magazine;  "The 
Christian  Science  Monitor,"  a  daily  paper;  and  the 
tracts  "True  Orthodoxy";  "Brotherhood  of  Man"; 
"How  Should  the  Sick  be  Healed";  "Christian 
Science  Business  Life";  "The  True  Law";  "Les- 
sons from  a  Workshop";  "Healing  the  Sick"; 
"There  Is  Rest  and  Peace  on  Earth";  and  "The 
Real  and  the  Unreal";  but  I  fail  to  find  any  pas- 
sage treating  of  virtue,  on  how  to  serve  God,  on 
self-denial,  on  penance,  or  on  anything  whatso- 
ever which   brings  the   soul  nearer   to   Go'd.     The 

228 


SCIENTISTS,  EDDYISM. 


whole  lesson  taught  by  them  is:  idolize  your 
body;  take  care  of  the  body,  but  avoid  the  physi- 
cian and  refuse  medicine;  be  your  own  doctor  by 
concentrating  your  thoughts  upon  the  idea,  that 
sin,  death,  and  matter  is  all  a  delusion;  or  as  the 
foundress  of  "Christian  Science"  puts  it:  "When 
the  Science  of  Being  is  understood,  every  man 
will  be  his  own  physician,  and  Truth  will  be  the 
universal  panacea."  Science  and  Health  with  Key 
to   the  Scriptures,   P.   38. 

Their  tenets  are  anti-christian  and  absolutely 
materialistic.  All  they  retain  of  Christianity  is 
the  name,  the  misnomer:  Christian  Science.  Sac- 
raments and  other  means  of  grace  are  unknown, 
in  their  teachings. 

But  one  thing  can  be  said  to  their  credit: 
their  literature  is  pure.  They  are  supporting  a 
clean  daily,  their  own  Christian  Science  Monitor,, 
which  so  far  has  been  free  from  all  sensational- 
ism and  lewd  details  of  scandals,  and  in  this  re- 
spect is  far  superior  to  any  other  English  daily 
paper  in  this  country.  They  are  making  great 
propaganda  for  their  cult  and  distribute  their 
literature  most  liberally  among  the  people.  This 
means  liberal  contributions  on  the  part  of  their 
members,  who  are  eager  to  disseminate  "Christian 
Science"  tenets.  That  many  of  them  are  sincere 
cannot  be  questioned. 

For  a  more  complete  statement  of  what 
"Christian     Science"     stands     for,     and     in    what 

229 


PRETENDING  TO   BE    CHRISTIANS 

instances  the  teachings  of  "Christian  Scientists" 
clash  with  the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
verdicts  of  common  sense,  I  refer  my  reader  to 
my  book  on  "Christian  Science,"  called :  "A  Com- 
mon Sense  View  of  Christian  Science,"  which  book 
may  be  obtained  through  any  of  the  leading  Cath- 
olic Publishing  houses  at  25  cents  a  copy. 

The  Christian  Scientists  claim  over  a  mil- 
lion members  in  this  country,  though  the  latest 
Religious  Census  (1906)  credits  them  only  with 
85,717. 


230 


INDEX  OP  CONTENTS. 

Christian   Denominations   3 

Introduction     5 

THE    CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

Jesus   Christ,   the   Founder 7 

Writers   of  the  First  Five  Centuries 16 

Chronological  List  of   Popes 47 

The    Seven    Sacraments 56 

The  Holy  Sacrifice   of  the  Mass 78 

Mary,   the   Mother  of  God 85 

Synopsis    of  Catholic    Doctrines 94 

The   Catholic   Church  is  the  True  Church 99 

OTHER    CHRISTIAN    DENOxMINATIONS. 

The   Greek  Orthodox   Church 103 

The     Lutheran    Church 106 

King   Henry    VIII.    Against  Luther    112 

The  Episcopal    Church    129 

Presbyterianism     135 

Oongregationalists     142 

Anabaptists    147 

Mennonites     152 

Baptists      155 

Moravians,   or   United  Brethren 170 

Friends,  or    Quakers    173 

Methodists      176 

United    Brethren    in    Christ    183 

Adventists      188 

Christian    Catholic  Church   in    Zion 191 

Salvation  Army     202 

Mormons,  Latter    Day   Saints    205 


PRETENDING  TO  BE  CHRISTIANS. 

Universalists     212 

Unitarians    215 

Shakers    218 

Church   of   the   New   Jerusalem 220 

Christian  Science,  or  Eddyism 226 


ALPHABETICAL  INDEX. 

A 

Adventista    188 

Advent  Christians     189 

African    M.    E.    Church 181 

African    M.  E.    Zion  Church 181 

African    Union    M.   P.    Church 182 

Age-to-Come    Adventists    190 

Ambrose,    St 66 

Anabaptists      147 

Anglican  Church     129 

Anglican      Orders 134 

Anti-Mission     Baptists 166 

Antiquity,      Argument 42 

Apologetic     Writer 21 

Apostles,   their   names 8 

Apostolic     Constitutions    74 

Apostolicity,    Argument 47 

Associated     Presbyterian 141 

Athanasius,     St 32 

Augustine,      St 38 

B 

Baptism,     Sacrament 56 

Baptists    155 

Basil     St 34 

Bible    Christians 181 

Bible  Translation    110 

Biddle    John    215 

Blessed   Virgin    Mary 85 

Booth    William    202 

Brief  Synopsis  of  Catholic  Doctrines 94 

Brigham    Young      207 

Broad     Church 133 

Brown     Robert      142 

C 

Caesarius,     St 72 

Calvin     John 135 


Calvin's  Assertions     137 

Campbellites    167 

Catholic     Church 7 

Catholic   Church,    True   Church 99 

Christ  Jesus,  Founder  of  the  Catholic  Church 7 

Christ  Jesus  the  Son  of  God 7 

Christian    Catholic  Church    in    Zion 191 

Christian  Church    167 

Christian  Science    226 

Chronological   List   of   Popes 47 

Chrysologus,    St.  Peter   71 

Chrysostom,      St .  . . 67 

Church   of  England    129 

Church  of    God,    Adventists   189 

Church  of  God,  Baptists 167 

Church   of   Christ,  Scientist    226 

Church   of   the   New   Jerusalem 220 

Clement,     St 16 

Colored  M.    E.    Church    101 

Confirmation,     Sacrament 60 

Congregational    Methodists 180 

Congregationalism     141 

Cyprian,      St 27 

Cyiil  of  Alexandria,  St 89 

Cyril    of    Carthage 83 

Cyril   of   Jerusalem,    St 83 

D 
Didache    57 

Disciples  of  Christ 167 

Dowie     John    Alexander     191 

Dowieites     191 

Dunkards     165 

E 

Eddy,    Mrs.    Mary    Baker   226 

E-ddyism    226 

Ephraem,      St 35 

Epiphanius,     St 75 


Episcopal    Church     129 

Eucharist     Holy 62 

Eusebius     30 

Evangelical     Adventists 183 

Extreme   Unction,    Sacrament 71 

F 

Free      Baptists 16b 

Free      Methodists 181 

Friends,    Quakers      173 

Fox,    George    173 

Q 

General     Baptists 164 

Gterman     Baptists 165 

Greek  Orthodox  Church   103 

Gregory    of    Nazianzus,   St 88 

H 

Hard    Shell  Baptists     166 

Henry   VIII.    Against    Luther   112 

Hicksite    Quakers 175 

High     Church 132 

Hilary,    St.,    33 

Holy   Orders,    Sacrament 73 

I 

Ignatius,     St 18 

Independent     Methodists 181 

Innocent,    St 62 

Introduction     5 

Irenaeus,  St 21 

J 

Jerome,     St 36 

Jesus  Christ,   Our   God  and   Redeemer 7 

Justin,     St 21 

K 

Kingdom   Movement  of  Zion 198 

Knox    Jofon 13? 


L 

Lactantius      30 

Latter   Day   Saints 205 

Lee    Anna     218 

Life  and  Advent   Union 190 

Lindsly    Theophilus 215 

Low    Church 133 

Luther      Martin 106 

Luther  and  Bible  Translation 110 

Lutheran    Church 106 

M 

Mary,  the  Mother  of  God 85 

Mass,    Sacrifice 78 

Matrimony,     Sacrament 75 

Maximus,    St 77 

Menno  "Simonis 152 

Mennonites     152 

Methodists    176 

Methodist     Episcopal 180 

Methodist    Protestant 180 

Miller    William   188 

Moravians    170 

Mormons    205 

Murray     John 212 

N 

New    Congregational   Methodists 181 

New    School    Presbyterians 141 

Nilus,      St 68 

Northern     Presbyterians 141 

O 

Old  School  Baptists 166 

Old    "School     Presbyterians 141 

Old    Two^Seed    etc.,   Baptists 167 

Orders    Holy,    Sacrament 73 

Origen     24 

Orthodox   Greek    Church 103 


Orthodox    Quakers    175 

Otterbein,    Philip     William 183 

P 

Pacian     59 

Particular    Baptists    165 

Penance,     Sacrament      68 

Peter   Chrysologus,    St 71 

Photius     103 

Physician    and    Bible    199 

Pilgrim    Fathers      143 

Polycarp,    St 20 

Presbyterianism     135 

Primitive    Baptists 166 

Primitive   Methodists    181 

Primitive    Quakers 175 

Q 

Quakers      173 

It 

Reformed     Presbyterians     141 

•Regular    Presbyterians     141 

Relly    James    212 

Ritualists      133 

Roger     Williams 164 

S 

Salvationists     202 

Sacrifice    of   the   Mass 78 

Salvation    Army    202 

Scientists      226 

Separate   Baptists    167 

Seven     Sacraments 56 

Seventh  Day    Adventists    189 

Seventh  Day  Baptists 165 

Shakers    218 

Six   Principle    Baptists     165 

Smith       John    205 


Smith      Joseph    205 

Storch.    Nicolas     147 

Swedenborg,     Emmanuel     220 

T 

Tertullian     25 

Theodoret     68 

Theodotus     91 

Testimony  of  Early  Writers 16 

Tractarian     Movement 132 

U 

Union  American   M.  E.   Church % 182 

Unitarians    215 

United    Baptists    167 

United  Brethren    170 

United  Brethren  in  Christ 183 

United    Methodist  Free  Church    181 

United    Society  of    Believers 218 

Universalists    212 

V 

Vincent  of  Lerin,  St 40 

Virgin    Mary 85 

W 

Welsh   Calvinistic    Methodists     181 

Wesley    Charles    176 

Wesley    John 176 

Wesleyan     Methodist     Connection     180 

Wesleyan   Methodist     177 

White     Mrs 189 

Whitefield      George     176 

Wilburite  Quakers    175 

Winebrennerians     167 

Z 

Zinzendorf,  Count   Louis   170 

Zion    Union  Apostolic   Church    182 


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